Increyable
by Charismaticbreeze
Summary: Alvin and the Chipmunks and Chipettes are headed to France for a nice, quiet vacation. But the Chipmunks know not the term "quiet." What will their new friend Amelie get them into? Without further ado, the much anticipated sequel.
1. Chapter 1

Increyable

All characters are copy-righted by Bagdasarian Productions. Any songs and/or lyrics mentioned belong to their respective owners.

Author's Note

Dearest Reader,

I know that many people go straight to the story and skip the prologue, the epilogue, or both. In fact, I used to do that. That was, until I started writing. Authors take the time to write these bits of information, the least you can do is read them. In almost every case, the information is a vital part of the story. This is one of those cases.

I have worked hard on this story for your reading pleasures, and would appreciate it if you take pleasure in reading the whole story. I have even taken the time to make sure every part of this story is accurate to it's time period. Let us assume that the Chipmunks met the Chipettes when they were roughly eight years old in 1983, thus making them about 15 in 1990, the time period of this story. Every song I have them sing was either released in 1990 or a few years before. I have even done some research on both the location of the setting, and the language spoken. Some of the translations may be a bit off, but for the most part it is correct.

Please enjoy this story. Perhaps it will inspire you to write a fan-fic of your own. In which case, you have my warmest wishes of good luck.

Thank you for your time,

Charismaticbreeze

Increyable: (French) so extraordinary as to seem impossible; unbelievable

Prologue

She crept into the darkened room and almost gagged on the smoke that stung her eyes. She trudged forward, wringing her hands nervously. Her dark chocolate eyes welled with tears.

"Come, child." A raspy, yet firm voice demanded. She came closer to the oak wood desk and dipped her head in respect.

"Your mission is to keep them occupied while I work on the manager. I want no interference this time. If you fail me again, that pretty little neck of yours will be snapped before you can apologize. Understood?" The old woman with wrinkled skin hissed. She handed the girl a yellow envelope.

"Yes, ma'am. But why do you need them? What use are they to you?" She inquired, her once smooth voice wavering.

"Don't you understand the amount of money? We're talking millions of dollars. Plus, I could use a few new furs." She literally purred with delight at the thought.

"Furs?" The girl cried out incredulously.

"Of course! Can you imagine the quality?" She asked, stroking her mink.

"Why of course, Cruella." The girl spat with distain.

"Insolent child! You have no right!" The woman shouted. She brought out a whip and lashed at the girl.

"Now, be gone. Be sure to gain their trust. They'll never see it coming." The woman smirked at her handiwork and began to cackle with joy. The girl was clutching at her bleeding arm and backed out of the room. She shut the door and pressed her back against it. She slid down to the floor and opened the envelope. She held a picture in her hand.

"Mon dieu!" She whispered. She gingerly touched the outline of the picture. Tears began to stream down her cheeks. She wiped them away quickly and stood, racing down the hall. To cry was to show weakness.

1

Jeanette Miller awoke early one morning, just as the sun was beginning to rise. It slowly made it's way up the horizon, as though all it really wanted was to go back to sleep, let the moon take over for a while. She giggled softly, feeling sorry for the poor ball of gas.

She took out her sketch pad and wandered out into the yard. She climbed up the tree and sat on one of the sturdier branches. She was glad she hadn't worn her nightgown.

She smiled at a small sparrow that landed only a few feet away from her. It began to chirp lightly as it searched for some food. Jeanette took her pencil from behind her ear and began the outline of the bird before going into detail. She loved the pattern of it's feathers. Every line, every curve made this beautiful creature beautiful.

Simon Seville walked down the steps into his laboratory. He examined a specimen under his microscope and wrote a few notes down in his lab book. He stopped and cleaned his glasses before turning to a page in his notebook that made him pause.

It was the picture Dave had taken of the Chipmunks and Chipettes as they slept in Denpasar. His arm was wrapped around Jeanette in a way that still made him shiver.

He sighed and put the book down, shaking his head. He was pretty sure that his brothers and the Chipettes had fallen for the "subconscious" story he told. Why else would they all cling to each other? Why else did they look so content?

He had never seen a smile like that on Alvin's face, until this picture. Brittany's eyebrows were furrowed, but she had a wistful smile on her face as though she knew this moment would not last, but she'd hold onto it for as long as possible. Jeanette's smile was so peaceful, yet it made his stomach clench. His own made him wish he really did remember what happened that night.

There was a rapping noise, and then Alvin popped his head in the door. He came in, his bathrobe brushing against the back of his calves. He ginned at Simon, until he saw the picture. Alvin's face fell and he shut the notebook.

"Um, breakfast is ready. We're having waffles." Alvin said slowly, walking out of the laboratory.

Simon took off his lab coat and walked towards the kitchen. He greeted the pile of waffles in the appropriate manner: hungrily.

"Well, boys. We're going to Paris this weekend, just the eight of us. We could use a vacation." Dave said cheerily.

"We're going to France again?" Alvin asked casually.

Dave nodded grimly. He still wasn't too fond of the balloon race a few years back.

"Yes, Alvin. But this time, it's purely for enjoyment. No concerts, no fighting with jewel smugglers…" Dave smiled with relief. It had been a while since he'd been able to breath this freely.

"Paris!" Eleanor squealed with delight. The last time they'd been to France, they were too busy to actually enjoy it. Brittany also had to admit that it would be nice to do a little shopping. Jeanette knew that some of the most beautiful monuments in the world were in Paris. She wouldn't mind taking some pictures.

Miss Miller smiled and nodded. She was glad to see that they weren't complaining this time. Well, she hadn't exactly told them that the boys would be there, but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them, right?

She sat at a corner table in the out-door café. She absent-mindedly chewed her sandwich as she went over the information in the envelope again. She took a deep breath and looked at the picture again. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and moved on to a group of smaller photos. Attached to each photo, there was a small piece of paper, giving information that the faces didn't give away.

There was one photo in particular that caught her attention. It might have been the look in his eyes, or it could've been the fact that DANGEROUS was stamped across the scrap of paper.

"Alright, mon cher. Hit me with your best shot." She said with a smirk, tossing the picture onto the table and taking a sip of wine.

Jeanette pulled on her sweater and nearly dragged Brittany out of the house. Eleanor helped, of course, but it was still a challenge. They made their way over to the boys' house and exchanged the usual greetings. Once they were inside, they all took a seat around and on the sofa.

"So, we're looking forward to the trip to Paris." Theodore chirped happily.

"What?!" Brittany asked, her eyes narrowing.

"You guys are going to Paris too?" Jeanette asked, not able to hold back her smile of delight.

"Of course. We're going together." Simon said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"This can't be happening! What happened to the nice, quiet vacation?" Brittany moaned.

"It's still going to be just a quiet vacation." Theodore said reassuringly.

"Nothing is quiet when those to are together." Ellie said teasingly. Jeanette and Theo let out small giggles.

"Ha ha." Alvin laughed without humor and scowled at his younger sibling, who shrunk back.

"Point taken, Eleanor. And just for the record, things aren't quiet around me because wherever I go, excitement is sure to follow." Brittany said loftily, contradicting her earlier request for peace and quiet. "As for him, well, I can only speak for myself." She turned up her nose and crossed her legs.

"Puleese! The only reason things heat up when we're together is because of me. Without me, the world would be a much darker place." Alvin said defensively.

"Look what you started!" Jeanette whispered. Ellie nodded, regretting her comment.

"People like me should come with muzzles." Ellie said, trying to change the subject. Alvin took this opportunity to build on the current topic.

"Don't go blaming yourself. People like her should come with muzzles and return policies!" He said with a scoff.

"You're one to talk! People like you should have their tongues cut out at birth!" She snarled.

"Well, would you like to do the honors?" He asked challengingly, sticking out his tongue in a childish manner.

She growled and tackled him, backing him against a wall. He tried to pry her hands off of his neck, but it didn't work very well. He pushed forward, causing her to fall onto the couch. He was now on top of her, still trying to get her to let go of his neck.

He made a few choking noises and pressed her farther into the fabric. He elbowed her in the abdomen, causing her to loosen her grip and gasp for air. He jerked his neck back, causing them both to fall onto the floor. She was back on top of him, but this time, she was holding his waist between her thighs, pinning him to the ground.

"Hah!" She cried out triumphantly. He groaned and rolled his eyes.

"If you're gonna do anything else to humiliate me, I suggest you do it now while I'm still on the floor." Alvin said huffily.

"Humiliate you? Why ever would I want to do that?" She asked innocently, batting her big blue eyes. She bent down and kissed him on the nose, causing everyone in the room to roar with laughter. Alvin turned beet red and moaned, giving Brittany a dirty look. He began to shake with anger, so Brittany placed her hands on his chest and tried to get him to hold still.

"Alvin! Don't you know that stress prematurely ages you?" She asked, her eyes wide with mock concern.

"I know that. Why do you think I have crow's feet?" Dave walked in and smiled warily. "Alvin, whatever you're doing, stop it."

"Hey! She's the one on top of me!" Alvin cried out helplessly. Brittany jumped up and helped Alvin to his feet.

"Yes, but I can only imagine why." Dave said, placing his hands on his hips. Alvin rolled his eyes and gave a defeated sigh.

"Bye, Dave. Let's go girls." Brittany smiled sweetly at Dave and collected her sisters. Brittany flounced over to the door and motioned for her sisters to go first. She lingered for a moment and winked at Alvin before shutting the door.

Simon almost laughed as Alvin's eye twitched. He patted his older sibling on the shoulder and walked up the stairs. He knew that Alvin was definitely a handful. And if anyone was able to handle him, it would be Brittany. She had a way of ruffling his feathers like no one else could.

"Did you really have to kiss him?" Jeanette asked, making a disgusted face.

"Just repaying the favor." Brittany said coldly. She grinned at her sisters as they made their way into their own kitchen.

Eleanor jumped onto her little stool and reached into the cupboard to grab three macadamia nut cookies. She handed one to each of her sisters and began to munch on hers.

"I thought it was cute!" Ellie said softly. Jeanette nodded eagerly before giggling at Brittany's reaction.

"Cute?! You're kidding, right?" Brittany scoffed, raising an eyebrow. Eleanor just joined in Jeanette's laughter.

"Oh, Brittany," Eleanor crooned, "You're right. Cute isn't the word. I was more like a romantic moment between you and your lover." She began to laugh until tears stung her eyes. Brittany was now officially bursting with anger.

"MY LOVER?! He's not my lover! That punk-ass, pompous, son-of-a…GRRRR!" She began to screech at the top of her lungs. Jeanette covered her ears at the glass-shattering cry that escaped her sister's lips.

Miss Miller came into the kitchen just as Eleanor was covering Brittany's mouth.

"What's going on here?" She asked, casting Brittany a worried glance.

"We're fine. Brittany just uh…" Jeanette looked over at Eleanor desperately.

"Nothing's wrong. Brittany was just telling us about her 'lover.'" Eleanor said, putting air-quotes around "lover." Jeanette began to giggle, motioning for Ellie to do the same. They both began to laugh as Brittany's face, if at all possible, got redder. Miss Miller just shook her head and laughed with her daughters. They were growing up way too fast to her. What happened to the girls that loved to play with the Chipmunks? Now they were talking about boys. Or were those the boys they spoke of? Where did the time go?


	2. Chapter 2

2

When they boarded their plane, Brittany was delighted to be sitting by Alvin again. She placed her chin in her hand and tapped her fingers on the tray in her lap.

Jeanette smiled at Simon. He gently took her hand in his and gave her a questioning look. She nodded, and he squeezed her hand in a grateful manner. She sighed in content and rested her head against her seat, shutting her eyes.

Eleanor grinned at Theodore and popped a few peanuts into her mouth. She offered him a few and he accepted eagerly.

"Paris is going to be amazing!" Eleanor said with a giggle of delight. Theodore nodded in agreement.

"Can you imagine? The buildings! The food! The music! The food! The lovely people! The desserts!" Theodore said in awe. Eleanor smiled and laughed at her friend's enthusiasm.

When they arrived at the airport in Paris, it was roughly four in the afternoon. They had just woken up from an eight-hour nap and were stretching leisurely. Brittany ran over to her sisters, relieved to have someone she could carry on a decent conversation with.

Simon was standing by Jeanette. They were engrossed in the game they were playing.

"I come to wive it wealthily in Padua; if wealthily, then happily in Padua." Jeanette said, placing one hand on her hip.

"Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. No offense, but you're really bad at this." Simon said giving her a playful nudge. She scoffed, feigning a hurt look.

There was a large commotion going on a few feet away. They all turned to peer at the crowd curiously. From within emerged a tall, slender teenage girl around their age. She had bleach-blonde hair and a tan that rivaled that of an orange. She batted her heavily shadowed eyes at the crowd and smiled, blowing kisses. When she caught sight of them, a devilish grin crossed her face. She zoomed in on Simon and shoved Jeanette aside like only someone who'd grown up with the paparazzi could.

"Simon, dahling! It's been ages! Did ya miss me?" She asked, pressing herself against him and tickling his chin.

"Uh, sure, Debbie." Simon said, straightening his glasses nervously. Debbie, however, yanked them off and flashed him an award-winning smile. She leaned in and kissed him full on the lips. The cameras were there in an instant, flashing away and nearly blinding Simon.

"Great seein' ya again, tiger." She said with a suggestive growl. She placed his glasses back onto his face and traipsed off, the media at her heels.

"Who was that?" Jeanette asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Don't you mean what was that?" Brittany asked. "She was all over you!" Disbelief was plastered on her face.

"Um…That was Debbie. She's a star in Australia. Remember when we went to Australia? Yeah, they loved me there." Simon said, clearing his throat a few times.

Jeanette nodded and turned to walk away. Simon stopped her as she made her way to the ladies' room.

"Jeanette…" Simon started, but she put a finger on his lips to stop him.

"How am I supposed to compete with that bleach-blonde tramp?" She said, not even thinking twice about the rude remark.

"Jeanette, you aren't competing with her. Besides, you own something she'd sell her soul for." He said with a light smile.

"Oh, yeah? And what would that be?" She asked, turning her head and nibbling on her lip.

"My heart." He said softly. She blinked slowly and sighed. He pushed back a few strands of her hair and kissed her on the cheek. She frowned slightly before grinning. She pulled him closer by the neck of his sweater until his lips touched hers. His eyes flew open wide, but they closed gradually as the kiss grew deeper.

"Whoa! If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'd never have believed it." Alvin's voice rang out like an annoying bell. Simon and Jeanette parted instantly, looking at their siblings like deer caught in the headlights.

Jeanette smiled sheepishly at her sisters and smoothed out her indigo turtleneck. Brittany was fuming, but Ellie's soft brown eyes were filled with approval.

"How dare you fraternize with the enemy?!" Brittany screeched at her sister. Jeanette blushed and looked away as Brittany lectured her on what a "real" sister would've done.

Alvin didn't exactly know what was going on with Brittany, but he had a feeling that he had won.

"Relax, Brittany." Alvin said with a cocky grin.

"Come on, guys. Time to get to the hotel." Dave said, clutching a grey carry-on for all it was worth. Last time, they'd lost their luggage. They'd gotten it back when they got home, but Dave was just a tad paranoid.

"This isn't over." Brittany hissed, nudging Alvin.

"Bring it on." He said with a snort.

When they got to the hotel, they weren't too happy about the conjoined room, but at least there was a solid wall that separated them.

Brittany smiled and gasped at their view. Just outside their window was the Eiffel Tower. It was just beginning to get dark, so there were beautiful lights that shone brilliantly on the monument.

"I wonder if the guys have a beautiful view too." Eleanor pondered.

"God! If I hear one more thing about them, I'm going to scream!" Brittany narrowed her eyes and Ellie cringed.

"Sorry, Britt. How about we go down to get something to eat at the bistro downstairs?" She suggested with an overly chipper tone.

Jeanette and Brittany agreed and they took the elevator to the bottom floor. Brittany checked her hair in the reflective metal of the elevator. Perfect as always.

Alvin strolled down the lobby, humming a lively tune. He decided that he needed some fresh air. If Theodore had done what Alvin asked, Dave would never know he was gone.

He rushed out without looking where he was going. He fell to the ground with oomph.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Alvin said, readjusting his cap.

"I had the right of way!" A smooth, thickly accented voice replied

They both snapped their heads up and quickly assessed each other. The girl Alvin had run into had fair skin that looked even paler compared to her curtain of long dark brown hair. Her deep brown eyes looked at just as shocked as his.

"I'm so sorry, it was all my fault." He said, helping her to her feet.

"No, no. Je suis désolé. I should've been more careful." She smiled guiltily and dusted off her jeans.

She had a sticker on her turquoise shirt that read, "Bonjour! My name is Amelie."

"Nice to meet you, Amelie." Alvin said, holding out his hand.

"Actually, it's pronounced ahmehlee." She said, sounding out her name. She took his hand and shook it firmly.

"Ah, sorry. Where are you headed?" Alvin asked casually.

"Oh, just inside to grab a bite to eat." She said, pointing towards the hotel.

"Mind if I join you?" He asked, trying to keep the hope out of his voice.

"Why not? I love dining with strangers!" She said cheerfully. His face fell a little.

"It's called sarcasm. Come on." She ushered him in and they walked towards the bistro.

Theodore, Simon, Dave, and Miss Miller caught up with the girls, and they were all seated in one corner.

"Alvin?" Theodore cried out. Alvin turned and rolled his eyes. Dave motioned for him to come over to where they were. Amelie shrugged at him and followed.

"Uh, who are you?" Dave asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hello. I'm Amelie." She said, smiling warmly as her gaze passed over the group of people and chipmunks.

"Nice to meet you Amelie." Miss Miller said, shaking Amelie's hand rigorously.

"The pleasure's all mine, miss…" She said, biting her tongue.

"Oh, I'm Miss Miller. This is Dave and his boys, and these are my girls." She said proudly.

Much to Alvin's dislike, and Brittany's triumph, Amelie and Brittany were really hitting it off. Amelie's smile faded as she felt Simon's gaze burn into her.

"So one time, Alvin decided to…" Brittany's story was drowned out to Alvin by a sea of giggles. He did not appreciate Brittany's intrusion.

An elderly woman walked towards them with a worried look.

"Amelie? Venez ici!" She took hold of Amelie's arm and jerked her up. Miss Miller looked up with a confused look.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Is this your daughter? We didn't mean to get her in trouble. She's really a lovely girl." Miss Miller assured her, smiling weakly.

"Oh, no. I was just worried about her. Thank you so much. How ever can I repay you?" The woman's eyes widened with realization. Her accent was much lighter than Amelie's which caught Simon's attention.

"Oh, no thanks are necessary." Dave said, shaking his head slightly.

"I insist. Tomorrow night, I shall take the two of you to the best restaurant in all of Paris. Amelie will stay with your…children." She said, stroking her fur coat gently.

Amelie nodded eagerly, casting adoring looks at the Chipmunks and Chipettes. Every eye was on Dave now. He squirmed uncomfortably under their stares before giving in.

"Sure. We'd be delighted." He said, sinking down into his chair. Amelie laughed and high-fived Brittany.


	3. Chapter 3

3

Jeanette tossed and turned in her sleep, moaning. She thrashed at her pillow and gnashed her teeth, her soul burning in agony.

"Simon, no!" She shouted out, though her plead fell upon deaf ears. He pulled the trigger, the bang echoing in her ears.

"Simon!" She wailed in pain. The lights went on and Eleanor rushed to her sister's bed.

"Jeanette, wake up!" She whispered. She took her sister in her arms and shook her gently, trying to arouse her from her deep slumber. Brittany still sat on her bed, dumbfounded.

"What?" She inquired groggily.

The door between the Chipettes' room and the Chipmunks' room opened abruptly and the three came tumbling in, blinded by the light.

"What's going on?" Alvin asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Jeanette's having a nightmare and she won't wake up." Eleanor explained shakily. Simon frowned and walked forward. He threw Eleanor a wary glance. She just nodded as he climbed onto the bed. He took Jeanette's hand and placed a hand on her cheek.

"Simon, no!" She groaned and reached out for him.

"I'm right here." He said, his eyes focused on her shut eyelids.

"Don't leave." She whimpered, placing her head against his chest.

"Never." He whispered, cradling her gently in his arms.

Their siblings could only gaze at the two, their mouths open slightly. Theodore walked over to Eleanor and touched her sleeve timidly. She looked over at him and smiled. She leaned over and gave him a hug. Alvin and Brittany rolled their eyes and gagged in unison.

They looked over at each other, their eyes wide and sincere. Alvin reached out one hand, but drew back quickly, crossing his arms over his chest and turning away. Brittany looked crestfallen for a moment before assuming a similar position.

Jeanette opened her eyes and jumped out of her bed. She smiled, her face flushed.

"Um, sorry guys. I-" She shrugged and took a few steps back. Eleanor let go of Theodore and hopped back into her own bed. Brittany stood up and tapped her foot impatiently.

"I think you guys should get back to bed. It's pretty late." She said in a condescending tone. Alvin scoffed before reentering the Chipmunks' room. Theodore followed quickly before anyone could object to anything anyone said. Simon got off of Jeanette's bed, the frightened look she gave him made him wonder. He walked out of the room with a frown.

Brittany slammed the door shut after him for extra emphasis. She was seething with anger by now.

"What nerve! He thinks he can just walk in here and make everything better with a few 'hugs.'" She crossed her arms over her chest and growled.

Jeanette nodded absent-mindedly and climbed into bed. Eleanor turned out the lights and fell back to sleep the instant her head touched her pillow.

Brittany looked both of her sisters over before tiptoeing to the other side of the room. She pressed her ear against the door and shut her eyes, exhaling slowly.

Alvin made sure both of his brothers were asleep before scurrying over to the door. He fell to his knees and placed a hand on the door. He believed, or he wanted to believe that he could feel something. Anything.

Jeanette leaned back and opened one eye. Was that Brittany crouched by the door? She must have been seeing things. She shut her eyes and allowed her mind to wander.

"Plans have changed." Amelie said briskly, helping Eleanor shove a beach towel into a maroon valise.

"What do you mean?" Jeanette asked, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"Who cares? We're going to the beach!" Brittany squealed with delight. She was on her stomach, her legs crossed in the air. She already had her sunglasses on.

"We originally planned a few hours together. And now I have you for the entire weekend." Amelie explained, sounding as cheerful as possible while trying to stuff a few more items into the valise.

"Ready boys?" She asked, pushing the door open slightly. Alvin emerged with a grin from ear to ear.

"Oui, mademoiselle!" He said, lowering his sunglasses a few inches. His brothers came into the room with about as much enthusiasm as a lump of coal.

"Let me get this straight. We're going to spend the weekend at the French Riviera alone with you. Can we trust you?" Simon pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and raised an eyebrow.

"Completely." She said nonchalantly, digging her nails into her palm.

"Alright then. Let's get going." Eleanor said cheerfully. She tossed the bag over her shoulder and herded her siblings and friends out the door. She shut it with a satisfied smile and they made their way down to the lobby.

"Oh, Simon! Over here!" Debbie said, motioning for him to come over with her finger. After a while she just shook her hands and trotted over to where he stood. She took him in her arms and embraced him overdramatically. Jeanette took a few steps back and looked away, blinking a few times.

"Whoa, back off sœur!" Amelie said, prying the girl off of Simon.

"Do you know who I am?" Debbie said, placing a hand on her hip.

"Unfortunately, yes I do. You're the slut who's trying to steal what's rightfully hers!" She said, jerking a thumb at Jeanette.

"Oh, please! That mousy little thing can't compare!" Debbie said, flipping her hair over her shoulder confidently.

"Correction. You can't compare. You aren't half the lady she is." Amelie scoffed, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes.

Debbie stomped her foot and growled. She turned on her heel and stalked off.

"Tramp!" She called over her shoulder, shaking her fist angrily.

"Salope!" Amelie snarled, taking a step forward, balling her hands into fists.

"Thanks…I think." Jeanette murmured. Her face was paler than a sheet of paper.

"Wait a minute," Simon said suspiciously. "How did you-"

"I'm not blind Simon!" She said, her eyes darting from Simon to Jeanette and back. She nodded with a look of satisfaction when Simon fell into an embarrassed silence.

"Let's be off then. We're taking the TGV." Amelie dusted off her jeans and walked forward, head held high. She had a very stealthy stride that allowed her to slide between people unnoticed.

Simon took Jeanette's hand and gave her a reassuring smile. She cocked her head to the side and gazed at him adoringly through heavily lidded eyes. They followed their siblings slowly, savoring the sensation of feeling the other's hand on theirs.

Once on the TGV, Amelie was rubbing her temples, trying to ease the pain. A man walked towards her and asked if there was anything she wanted.

"Aspirin. S'il vous plaît." She turned her head with a wince at the ever-bickering Alvin and Brittany. At this point, their words were a blur, drowned out by the pounding of her head.

The man returned with two small pills and some water. She downed the glass and swallowed the pills in record time. Now she could lean back, shut her eyes, and wait for the pain to dissolve.

Brittany returned from her trip to the restroom and tried to get past the sleeping Alvin and into her seat. Unfortunately, she tripped over her own feet and fell into his lap, jerking him awake.

"Ah!" He cried out in surprise. Her nose was only a few millimeters from his. He sat there for a few moments and just stared into her deep blue eyes, drowning in them.

"Are you going to get off me, or what, toots?" He asked, though there was no hint of annoyance in his voice. She just stared at him blankly, as though she hadn't heard a word he said.

She shook her head and leaned in closer until their noses touched. His eyes widened with shock, and then squeezed shut in pain. A loud crack was heard as she slapped him.

"Never call me 'toots.'" She hissed beneath her breath. She plopped into her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. He scowled and rubbed his cheek. That really stung. He didn't know she had it in her!

"Sorry." He muttered. He looked over and noticed she had something in her hands. She fastened it onto her wrist and began to stroke the shells. It was the bracelet he had made in Bali. Why on earth had she kept it? It was ugly as sin! She asked herself that on a regular basis, though she knew the answer. It was from him.

Ellie looked out her window and saw fields of lavender. They were already in Nice? The time seemed to fly by. Only a few more hours and they would be in Cannes.

Amelie jerked awake as the train slowed to a stop. People stood up from hours of riding in the train and shuffled off. Amelie, the Chipmunks, and Chipettes stayed seated until there were fewer people.

Little to their knowledge, there was a man in a tan overcoat following them. Once they were out on the platform, he cleared his throat, causing Amelie to turn, and he pulled out a dagger.

"Voleur! Salope!" He whispered, just loud enough for her to hear. He grasped the knife tightly and inched forward.

She narrowed her eyes and in a matter of seconds, leaned down and pulled a small hand-gun out from under her jeans. His eyes grew wide and he began to run, just as she was about to pull the trigger. She waited for a few more moments before tucking it back under her pant leg.

"Do I want to know why you have a gun?" Alvin asked his eyes wide.

"A girl's got to defend herself, no?" She said plainly, as though nothing had just happened.

"Why did that man call you a thief?" Simon asked, shutting his English-French dictionary.

"Well, um…ex?" She said with a shrug. "I don't really remember. We should be off." She said conclusively.

"How old do you have to be to own a gun?" Alvin whispered to Simon.

"Don't even think about it, Alvin." He said sharply. For the mean time, he was too distracted to remember to press on about the strange encounter.

Jeanette was exhausted from a sleepless night. After her nightmare, all she could think about was Simon. She stifled a yawn and trudged forward, lugging along a small violet bag that carried a few more of Brittany's "necessities."

"Ouch!" Brittany shouted, she came to a halt in the middle of the crowded platform.

"What is it, Brittany?" Eleanor asked, shifting her weight to one side.

"Some ass-hole pinched me!" She complained with venom in her voice. She rubbed her backside and glared at every man that passed her.

Jeanette grinned at her sister and shook her head. The things Brittany said never ceased to amaze her. She looked over at Alvin and doubled over with laughter at the expression on his face. He looked like half of him wanted to find the bastard that pinched Brittany and wring his neck. The other half of him wanted to laugh but held back for fear of Brittany's reaction.

Amelie just kept walking, her face filled with a new determination. She turned towards them and pushed them all forward lightly. She had to get them to the hotel and fast.

"Wow! Look at that conch shell!" Theodore said, his voice squeaking slightly with excitement. Ellie giggled and nodded, gently tracing the ridges on the side of the light peach shell.

"Hey! I was going to sit there." Alvin said, his eyes narrowed. He looked down at Brittany who was sitting on what appeared to be a scarlet loveseat.

"It's a free country. Have a seat." She said with a challenging gleam in her eyes. He snorted and warily sat next to her. The soft velvety material was trying to swallow him, causing him to lean in towards Brittany. He kept trying to sit up straight, but his tries were in vain and he ended up nearly sitting on her. What bothered him more, though, was that she wasn't complaining.


	4. Chapter 4

4

"Amelie did what with my sons?" Dave nearly shouted. His face was now an unflattering shade of puce and Miss Miller looked like she was about to pass out.

"Don't worry, David. They went to Cannes. Amelie is a very responsible young lady." The woman by the name of Madame Boucher said dismissively.

"How old is she again?" Miss Miller asked anxiously.

"She's 15." Madame Boucher said with a faint smile.

Miss Miller fell to the ground with a dull thud. David was on his knees in a matter of seconds, fanning her. He looked up and scowled at the woman.

"Dinner at seven, then?" She asked, as though nothing had happened.

"Have you ever seen such blue water?" Eleanor asked breathlessly. Theodore shook his head and gazed at her adoringly. She looked so lovely in her mint green one-piece. Brittany was also in a one-piece for a change. It had a large diamond cut out that revealed her bellybutton, but it was still a one-piece. A shimmering pink one-piece. Amelie had on a black bikini with a red rose in the corner of the top piece. Jeanette had on a lavender beach towel, trying to hide the sparkling indigo bikini she had on. She was secretly regretting listening to Amelie.

"Yeah, the view is great." Alvin said, his eyes following a group of bikini-clad girls playing volleyball. He walked over to a girl with long dark hair and olive skin in a red tankini.

"Bonjour, mademoiselle. Why don't we make je and tu a nu?" He asked flirtatiously, pointing first to himself, then to her.

"Excuse moi?" She shrieked, jumping to her feet. She began to curse rapidly at him in French, her eyes burning with anger.

"Merde." Amelie groaned. She rushed over to the girl who was about to wring Alvin's neck.

"Il est très désolé! Il est- américain?" She shrugged, smiling nervously. She pushed him behind her, so that he would not have to face the wrath of the angry girl.

The girl narrowed her eyes at Alvin and turned on her heel to stomp off. Amelie turned to Alvin and placed her hands firmly on her hips.

"Was it something I said?" He asked as innocently as possible.

"Naw, Alvin. Every girl in France starts to curse you out when you say hello." Simon said, rolling his eyes.

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, you know." Amelie said slyly. "You need to be careful about your pronunciation, Alvin. You said nu when you really meant nous. Nous means we or us, but nu means…naked." She informed him with a playful grin.

"Real smooth, Alvin." Brittany leered as he turned bright red.

"Come on guys." Theodore said uncomfortably. He dragged his brothers and the Chipettes along with him to the edge of the beach. He laid down a large white blanket and put up a bright yellow parasol. He took a seat on the sand and opened the picnic basket.

"Why am I not surprised?" Simon asked with a chuckle. Ellie rolled her eyes and took out a peanut butter sandwich.

"And now the amazing Monsieur Guillaume will dazzle you with his hypnotic abilities!" A man said to the crowd, his face held a pained expression. He was obviously tired of entertaining American tourists.

Another slightly balding man in a black tux walked forward and bowed deeply to the audience. He took out a cliché golden watch and called up an overly-hyper blonde woman. She bounced onto the stage and sat into the chair. After ten nauseating minutes, she was reciting a love poem to an elderly man in the front row. Monsieur Guillaume snapped his fingers just as the woman was about to kiss the bewildered gentleman. She gasped and made her way back to her seat, embarrassed at having tried such a feat.

"Oh, this is a bunch of bull!" Alvin cried out with distain. A few members of the audience turned and glared at him.

"Just shut up, Alvin." Brittany hissed.

"Make me." He sneered. He let out a grunt as she tackled him to the floor.

By now the entire audience was gawking at the display and Monsieur Guillaume was annoyed that they were interrupting his precious act.

"Ah you two! Would you be so kind as to join me on stage?" He asked. The spotlight hit them and their eyes widened.

They carefully made their way onto the stage, avoiding glares from Simon and Eleanor. They made sure that there was a wide space separating them and they crossed their arms over their chests.

"I see that you two aren't very fond of each other. Am I correct?" He asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I hate her!"

"I detest him!"

The crowd broke out in giggles as the two narrowed their eyes and threw angry glances over their shoulders. Simon just groaned and hid his face in his hands. Jeanette patted his shoulder in a comforting manner.

"You are positive that you don't even like each other a little?" Monsieur Guillaume asked, pinching his thumb and forefinger together.

"Of course not!" They snorted in unison.

"Please be seated." He said, gesturing towards two seats that were a fair distance apart to his left. They nodded and sat down, still not looking at each other.

"If what you say is true, you will not be affected. Though if you do feel anything other than hatred towards one another…well, we'll see." He began to sway the watch before their eyes. They followed the shiny golden object, all emotion drained from their faces.

"When I snap my fingers, you will fall into a trance and will be completely under my power." He snapped his fingers and their eyes shut immediately.

"When I say the 'magic word', you will awake and show your true emotions." He said, tracing hand along the engravings on his watch.

"Pineapple." He said simply. The audience stifled giggles, but they fell silent when Alvin and Brittany's eyes flickered open. They turned towards each other and stood slowly. After a moment of quickly assessing one another, they rushed to close the distance between the two of them and fell into each other's arms.

"Brittany." Alvin murmured, caressing a few strands of her hair. She shivered at his touch, her eyes rolling back in her head.

"I love you." He said, his eyes sparkling with a sincerity Simon had never seen before.

"I love you more." Brittany all but purred, stroking his cheek.

"Prove it." He said challengingly. A sultry smile spread across Brittany's face. She jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist. His face lit up with an impish grin.

She pressed her lips against his, kissing him fervently. He responded hungrily, pulling her closer until they were nearly one. He could feel her heart racing against his, and he prayed that it would never tire. She moaned, her lips never leaving his.

A few wolf whistles and cat calls were heard from across the room. Alvin and Brittany simultaneously returned the favor with a few obscene hand gestures. The audience gasped, not only because of the impropriety, but because they didn't appear to be breathing.

"Great! They've found a new way to kill each other!" Simon grumbled to no one in particular.

"Anyone know CPR?" Theodore asked nervously. He blushed as Alvin and Brittany explored every inch of one another.

Monsieur Guillaume finally snapped his fingers as they began to writhe on the floor. They stopped in mid-kiss as though someone had pushed the pause button.

"Cherry." He said with a smug grin. The audience watched in anticipation as the two chipmunks' eyes opened once again. Brittany pulled her lips away from his.

"Alvin!" She screeched at the top of her lungs. He flew backwards when she flung her legs forward and kicked him fiercely in the stomach. They stood at the same time; Alvin's eyes were wide whereas Brittany's were narrowed.

"How dare you!" She hissed breathlessly. She walked towards him, her hands balled into fists. Alvin put a hand over his chest and gasped for air. They were both panting from the lack of oxygen. She groaned and collapsed. Alvin caught her and gently laid her on the stage, kneeling beside her.

"You've got some nerve, pal!" He shouted at the calm and collected hypnotist. "What did you do to us? Why can't we breathe?" He asked accusingly.

"I allowed you to show each other how you really feel. I did you a favor." He said with a hint of pride.

"What're you talking about? I don't remember showing her how I feel. I don't remember a thing!" Alvin said, bewildered.

"Hmm. That does prove a problem. Well, the audience enjoyed it, no?" He asked, gesturing to the large group of people. They began to clap approvingly.

"Do we look like performing monkeys to you?" Alvin growled. He'd caught his breath and was now jumping on Monsieur Guillaume. The audience laughed…until Alvin sunk his teeth into the man's shoulder.

After a very hectic weekend, and getting banned from Monte Carlo, Amelie was glad to be getting back. She frowned at the Chipmunks and Chipettes in disdain.

"I'm telling you! That guy was winking at me!" Alvin said, his voice strained.

"And that's something to brag about, why?" Simon droned, irritated by Brittany and Alvin's argument. Practically every person on the train was stifling giggles. Brittany lifted her head triumphantly.

"Calm down, I beg of you." Amelie groaned, holding her head.

"Ellie, what's wrong with Amelie?" Theodore asked, his brow furrowing.

"She has a headache, Theodore. It's most likely because of us." Ellie said matter-of-factly. Theodore sighed and let the guilt overwhelm him.

They had never told Alvin or Brittany what had happened that night. They only said that they'd show them later. Alvin and Brittany had no idea how their siblings would accomplish that, but they gave them the benefit of the doubt.

"We're just going to stop and grab some dinner before heading back to the hotel." She said with a smile. They all looked at their valises questioningly.

"Don't worry. I've got it covered. She opened the cab door and ushered them out. She leaned forward and whispered into the cab driver's ear.

"Pierre, vous me devez." She hissed threateningly. The driver nodded vigorously and zoomed off once Amelie was out of the cab.

Jeanette wasn't sure whether or not they were dressed appropriately for this restaurant. Amelie assured them that it would be fine. She said that she knew the guy who owned it.

"Bonjour, Sal! Comment ça va?" She grinned at a large man behind the counter of the bar. He smiled back and shot her a thumbs up.

He wiped his hands on a white cloth and walked over to them.

"Amelie!" He gave her a pat on the back and showed them to a table in the heart of the small, crowded restaurant. Alvin couldn't help but notice the large stage to their left.

"Dinner and a show!" He said giddily.

Amelie handed each of them a menu and they went straight to the beverages. A waiter came by and asked what they would like to drink.

"Chardonnay, s'il vous plaît." Amelie said politely.

"Um, Amelie? All they have is wine." Jeanette said, her eyebrow cocked.

"Yes. In France, the water supply is poor, so most people drink wine. But they also have coffee." She said reassuringly.

"Coffee, please." They all said in unison. All except Alvin.

"I'll have some wine." He said with a devilish grin.

"Alvin-" Simon warned, but the waiter was already gone. They all exchanged worried glances over Alvin's latest "brilliant" idea.

The waiter arrived with their drinks and a basket of bread sticks. Amelie took a few appreciative sips from her glass. The alcohol seemed to help her head for the time being. Jeanette took a sip of coffee and spit it back into her cup.

"It tastes awful!" She said, licking the roof of her mouth. The others had similar reactions.

"That's because you need to add some sugar and cream." Amelie said patiently. She helped them sweeten their drinks and told them to try it again.

"That's better." Theodore said, savoring the sweet taste. The others agreed, though Jeanette still had some trouble trying to stomach it.

Alvin took a large sip of his wine and his eyes widened.

"This stuff's good!" He exclaimed, taking another sip.

"If you're actually going to drink that, consider eating some bread sticks . They will slow the absorption of the alcohol into your system." Simon said sternly.

"You know what your problem is? You know too much useless stuff. How can I possibly use that crappy advice?" Alvin asked, swaying slightly.

Brittany looked vaguely annoyed, but Jeanette thought she saw a glimpse of worry in her eyes. She picked up a bread stick and shoved it into Alvin's still open mouth.

"Hey what'd ya…?" The rest was muffled as he tried to swallow the bread. Simon looked at Brittany questioningly. Since when did she take his advice? She just turned away in an embarrassed manner.

"Why is he acting this way? He hasn't even had a fourth of a glass!" Amelie exclaimed incredulously.

"Well, this is his first time, and he's a chipmunk. His alcohol tolerance isn't as strong as yours." Simon said pointedly. Amelie nodded and frowned.

"The special of the day!" The waiter said. He lifted the lid of the dish with a flourish to reveal about two dozen snails. They all made disgusted faces, especially Alvin.

"I'm gonna be sick." He said with a gag. He put his hand over his mouth and Brittany rushed to his side. She helped him up and he went into the restroom. She followed to make sure he didn't pass out. A few men looked at her like she was crazy, but she just glared daggers at anyone who tried to remove her. She was glued to Alvin's side in one of the stalls. He was heaving into a toilet. She winced and rubbed his back in a circular motion.

Simon came in a few seconds later and frowned slightly. Brittany looked up and her jaw tightened.

"Don't...say…it." She hissed. She knew exactly what he would say. 'Aw, I knew you cared!' She didn't care. She was just doing this because she felt like it.

"Get up, Alvin. We're going back to the hotel." Simon said, helping his drunken brother to his feet. Alvin just nodded and reached out for Brittany. Her eyes softened and she wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"If he throws up in here…" The taxi driver said glancing into his rear view mirror.

"Just drive." Amelie growled. He flinched at her tone and hit the gas.

"That was an amazing weekend. Thank you Mrs. Boucher." Dave said with a relaxed smile. He hadn't felt like this in 15 years.

"It was my pleasure." She said with a wide Cheshire Cat grin. Miss Miller blew on a freshly manicured nail and sighed in content. That was until she heard the doors of the hotel open and saw her eldest daughter holding up a drunken Alvin.

"Brittany?!" She trilled, rushing to the small group of chipmunks and Amelie, who was holding onto Alvin's other shoulder.

"Somebody tell the room to stop spinning." Alvin said with a giggle.

"Alvin! Are you drunk?" Dave asked incredulously.

"He only had one glass of wine." Theodore said meekly.

"Wine? Wasn't there anything else to drink?" Dave asked with a frown.

"Coffee." Jeanette said, grimly remembering the dark, bitter liquid.

"Caffeine-caffeine's bad for you." Alvin said with a hiccup. Dave sighed and helped his children to their room.


	5. Chapter 5

5

A soft, silky voice hummed a sweet, familiar tune into his ear. He turned and saw a girl with long auburn hair holding a bouquet of pink hibiscuses. There was an identical hibiscus in her hair. Her face was a blur as she climbed onto his bed. She leaned in closer until their noses nearly touched.

"I do." She whispered, placing her left hand on his cheek. An elegant, pink rose-cut diamond sparkled on her ring-finger. Her dazzling blue eyes were the last things he saw before everything went black.

"Ah!" Alvin gasped, holding onto his pounding head. He looked at his left hand and placed his right hand on his chest, relieved to see his ring-finger was bare. He looked to his side and saw Brittany passed out beside him. He let out a muffled cry and tried to shove her off, but Simon's menacing voice made him freeze, his hands still in the air.

"Touch her and die." He growled and harshly yanked his brother out of the bed. Alvin looked at his brother questioningly as they silently slipped out of the room and into the hallway.

"Since when are you so protective of Brittany?" Alvin asked with a scoff. He squinted and winced, the light pouring through the window almost blinding him.

"Since she became protective of you." Simon said, poking Alvin in the chest with his forefinger. Alvin pressed a cool, soothing hand against his burning hot head.

"What're you talking about? That girl hates me. Whose side are you on?" Alvin asked suspiciously.

"That girl was up with you half the night, making you drink lots of water. If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be able to stand right now. Oh, and by the way, I'd try not to get on her bad side. She's really upset as it is." Simon said, cleaning his glasses off on his sweater. Alvin's eyes widened with realization, then guilt, then confusion.

"Why is she upset?" He asked, trying to ignore the terrible taste in his mouth.

"Well, let's see. There's the drunken confession of undying love and the making out with her pillow. Take your pick." Simon responded nonchalantly. He couldn't help but grin when Alvin's jaw dropped to the floor.

"I-I did what?!" He stammered.

"You heard me." Simon allowed his laughter bubble over. Alvin let out a sigh of defeat.

"But that still doesn't explain why she's mad at me." Alvin said cocking his head to one side.

"I didn't say she was mad. I said she was upset. She's not sure whether or not you meant what you said." Simon's voice grew quieter as he said the last part. Alvin lowered his gaze, not quite sure himself.

They walked back into the room to discover that Brittany was up and about, searching the room frantically. When she caught sight of them, she let her breath out slowly. She sat back on the bed, trying not to look at Alvin while shooting glares in Simon's direction.

"So…who wants to go wake up the others?" Simon asked, squirming uncomfortably under Brittany's stony gaze. Alvin and Brittany just nodded and opened the door that led into the other room. No one was there, but there was a note scrawled out in Eleanor's neat writing.

Went to get some breakfast with Miss Miller and Dave.

Meet us at the café when Alvin wakes up.

P.S. We'll have plenty of water for his hangover.

Alvin rolled his eyes and followed his brother out of the room. He turned and saw that Brittany was still sitting on the bed, note in hand.

"You coming?" He asked, clearing his throat. She nodded without looking at him.

Alvin and Brittany silently followed Simon into the elevator. The jazz music being played in the elevator pounded in rhythm with the pounding of his head. He groaned and looked over to see that Brittany had a concerned look on her face. She caught his gaze and the look vanished.

The doors of the elevator opened accompanied by a soft ding. They crossed the lobby and walked towards a small table where they were being flagged down by Theodore. Amelie and Madame Boucher sat at the opposite end of the table.

Eleanor gave Brittany a reassuring smile and Alvin a glass of water with a lemon wedge in it and an aspirin. He took them gratefully and swallowed the pill with large gulps of water.

"Great news, fellas." Dave said cheerfully, though he was still stressed about Alvin's hangover. "That nice girl, Debbie, has invited you to her birthday party tomorrow."

Simon's face went pale and Jeanette dropped her fork. Eleanor and Theodore shared a worried glance. Brittany scoffed and Alvin grunted. Even Amelie rolled her eyes.

"What?" Dave asked, concern in his voice.

All eyes were on Simon. "Nothing." He averted his gaze towards the table before looking back up at Dave. "We'll go."

"Good. Oh, and Simon? Debbie wants to meet you in B16 today at 10." Dave said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"But it's already 9:57!" He sputtered checking his watch. Dave just shrugged and motioned for Simon to take the elevator. Jeanette nodded and looked down at her hands. Simon winced, his empathy allowing him to feel her pain. He rushed forward and got into the elevator. He waved at his siblings and friends just before the metal door slid shut.

"The rest of you are going to spend the day with Amelie while Miss Miller and I speak with Madame Boucher. She has some sort of business proposition for us." Dave said smiling at the elderly woman in a beaver pelt.

Amelie smiled warily. She was exhausted, but also intrigued. Could she possibly get them through the day without a problem occurring? She nodded firmly, a new challenge making her eyes shining with determination.

"I'm going to accompany you to Debbie's party tomorrow, but today I have a few things to do. You don't mind coming with me, do you?" Amelie asked, batting her eyes innocently.

"Of course not!" Alvin answered for all of them. They nodded encouragingly. Amelie smiled and motioned for them to follow her. They walked down the sidewalk, dodging people on bicycles.

They came to a stop at what appeared to be a large, abandoned warehouse. Amelie took a small set of keys out of her pocket and opened the door. She walked in, so the curious Chipmunks followed her, shutting the door behind them.

"Amelie Rosé, ma chou!" A voice called out. Amelie cringed and walked over to a table where a large brown knapsack lay.

"Salut, Luc." Amelie acknowledged him indifferently. A tall thin boy with shaggy brown hair and a rose tucked behind his ear walked forward in a black shirt and a paint-splattered smock. His smile was light, and his gaze fell lovingly upon Amelie. She took a few hesitant steps towards him.

"Comment ça va?" He asked rushing forward and embracing her warmly. She stiffened.

"Pas mal. Et tu?" She replied slowly.

"Très bien." He said with a sigh. He took a step back and removed the rose from behind his ear. He handed it to her with a sheepish grin.

"Un rose pour ma Rosé." He said softly. She took it and frowned.

"Merci, Luc." She said. He beamed at her before turning to the five Chipmunks behind her.

"Qui sont ils?" He asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Ils sont les Chipmunks et Chipettes. Anglais, s'il vous plaît." She said with more pride than she thought she was capable of.

"Any friends of ma Rosé are friends of mine. A pleasure to meet you." He said, shaking each of their hands vigorously.

"Your. Rose." Jeanette repeated. A confused expression crossed her face.

"Oui. Ma Amelie Rosé." He said with a light smile.

"Amelie Rosé?" Alvin asked with a grin.

"Yes. My full name." Amelie groaned. Luc shrugged apologetically.

"Pardon me, Luc. Were you painting?" Jeanette asked curiously.

"Thank you, stator of the obvious." Alvin leered. Eleanor narrowed her eyes and gave him a gentle shove.

"Why yes I was…I never got your name." He answered.

"Oh, it's Jeanette. That's Alvin and Theodore, and these are my sisters Eleanor and Brittany." She said pointing to each one of them respectively. Luc nodded and walked off towards the left of the large building.

"What did he call you before? Chou?" Alvin asked.

"Yes. It means cabbage." Amelie said matter-of-factly. Alvin snickered and Brittany glared at him when he accidentally stepped on her heel.

"Sorry, chou." He said with a smirk.

"Luc is from Bruxelles where many cabbages are grown. It is actually used as a term of affection, like 'sweetheart.'" Alvin paled. Brittany stepped on his foot, jarring him out of his shocked state.

"Sorry, darling." She said with a wicked grin.

Light poured in through a large glass window above them, casting them all in a golden glow. Luc let out a longing sigh as Amelie walked into the light. It both softened and enhanced her features.

In the center of it all was a large easel that held a colorful painting. They all gasped. It was the Eiffel Tower. It shone with a brilliant silvery white glow. The moon could be seen in the left corner, shining down upon the monument.

"It's beautiful." Eleanor gushed, reaching out, but she didn't dare to touch the painting.

"Yes. It is. We must be off." Amelie said gruffly. She began to herd the Chipmunks and Chipettes out the door. The last thing Jeanette saw was Luc's crestfallen expression as he bent down to pick up the rose that Amelie had dropped.

"Uh, Amelie?" Jeanette asked, as they made their way down yet another winding street.

"Hmm?" She asked, never once checking her pace. The brown knapsack was now flung over her shoulder. She held onto it tightly, eyeing everyone who came near it.

"Well, I'm not sure if you noticed but…" She stopped, the words not wanting to escape her lips.

"Luc is desperately in love with you." Brittany finished her sentence for her. Amelie didn't even flinch.

"Well?" Eleanor pressed on, a bit put off at Amelie's almost robotic behavior.

"Love is just sugar-coated lust." Amelie said darkly. They walked on in silence for a while, no one really knowing what to say.

"There is a difference, you know." Theodore said quietly. It had been the first thing he said all morning. "There may be a thin line between the two, but it's enough of one for most people to see. Lust is what it starts out as, but as time rolls on; it disappears to be replaced by a feeling so strong, no words can describe it."

Theodore's eyes met Eleanor's. They were brimmed with tears of joy.

"Truer words were never spoken." She murmured quietly so that only he could hear her. Her voice quivered with emotion. He took her hand gently in his. Amelie watched this display out of the corner of her eye. Nonsense. Or perhaps… She shook her head and trekked forward.

"Amelie, chérie!" A rather scruffy looking boy leaning against a building called out.

"Bonjour, Jacque." Amelie said, waving in an embarrassed manner. Alvin and Theodore shared confused looks, but continued on until they were uncomfortably close to Jacque, who happened to smell like… they didn't want to think about it.

"Jacque, ils sont les Chipmunks et Chipettes." Amelie said, gesturing towards them. They waved, still confused as to why she was talking to a bum.

"Guys, this is Jacque. He's a homeless guy I know who…thinks I'm his fiancée." She said a bit too boldly. They all looked to see what Jacque's reaction would be. To their surprise he just smiled and nodded.

"He doesn't speak English." She explained with a shrug. She reached into the brown knapsack and pulled out a shiny red apple. She polished it on her shirt and handed it to a very grateful Jacque.

"Un cadeau de mariage." She said with a polite smile. He nodded, leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. She slapped him and he pulled away quickly with a grin.

"Au revoir, Jacque." She said between clenched teeth. He waved goodbye and took a bite of his apple. The Chipmunks followed her, not wanting to be alone with him.

"Where are we going now?" Theodore inquired after a while.

"Better yet, why are we walking?" Alvin asked dryly.

"Because where we are going is only a few minutes away. It is a waste of money to call a cab." Amelie said matter-of-factly.

"You didn't answer his question." Eleanor stated, suspicion creeping into her mind.

"Here we are." She said, holding the heavy glass door open for them. They all walked in slowly, greeted by the cool breeze created by the air conditioner…and ice?

Before them was a large ice rink encased in a glass border so that no one got hurt too badly.

"We're going to go ice skating." Amelie said with a chipper tone. Jeanette's eyes widened at the idea of being out on slippery ice. Klutzes and ice-skates don't go well together. Brittany, however, had a natural talent for anything to do with elegance. Her smile widened as Alvin's disappeared.

"Are you sure about this?" Alvin asked, trying to keep his balance as he made his way to the edge of the rink. He didn't want to risk going out on the ice. Theodore held onto his brother's shoulder, not too fond of the idea either.

"Aw come on! Are you munks, or are you mice?" Amelie asked, raising one eyebrow suggestively. Alvin narrowed his eyes as Brittany zoomed past him, gliding gracefully on the ice.

He moved forward, stumbling a bit before catching on. Theodore hung onto the railing, his teeth chattering nervously. Eleanor smiled at him, holding onto his hand for moral support.

Alvin growled under his breath and grabbed the railing. He let go and Brittany skated circles around him. She stopped and crossed her arms over her head, one leg bent slightly in a striking position. She winked before falling to the ice.

A rather handsome boy in a blue sweat suit with a whistle around his neck rushed towards her and helped her to her feet.

"Êtes-vous bien?" He asked warmly. Brittany nodded.

"I feel a little faint." She said in a breathy voice. He just smiled reassuringly and led her to a bench off to one side. He sat beside her and she scooted closer so that their thighs were touching. Alvin tried his best to deny the sheer anger that coursed through him. Why did he care if she was flirting with some extremely good looking stranger?

He saw Jeanette struggling to stand up while holding onto the rail. He skated towards her quickly and caught her before she could fall face first onto the ice.

"Thanks, Alvin." She said with a relieved sigh as he helped her onto another bench.

Luc sat on his Zamboni Ice Resurfacing Machine and watched all of the skaters. He was feeling a bit down after Amelie's visit with her new friends. His eyes widened and then shut tightly when he saw them. Surely Amelie knew he worked here in the afternoons, right? Wrong.

"You guys go ahead. I'll be there in a few minutes." Amelie said, waving as the Chipmunks and Chipettes made their way into the changing room to get their shoes back.

The ice rink was deserted by now. Amelie took a deep breath and skated towards the center of the rink. She did a few figure eights and pirouetted like a pro. She enjoyed the feeling of the cool air whipping her hair back. She took a leap into the air, spun, and landed with such grace that would put any Olympic gold medalist to shame.

Luc watched his Rosé in awe, sighing longingly. He'd known her his whole life and she, him. He knew the most intimate details of her life.

She'd spent it trying so hard to go unnoticed, to fade into the background. And it worked for most people. She'd done so many wonderful things and hoped that no one could witness her. And in her mind's eye, no one was watching her. But he was there. He was always there for her. If only she knew he was alive…


	6. Chapter 6

6

Simon raised his hand to knock. He paused and the wooden door flew open.

"Simon, dahling. I'm so glad you could make it." Debbie motioned for him to come in.

"Oh, Debbie. I was just about to knock." Simon said, straightening his glasses.

"Simon, I would just love for you to sing me something for my birthday." Debbie stated.

"Oh, no." Simon slid his foot back. "I'd rather not." He moved his other foot back. "How about something else?"

"Is there any way I could persuade you?" Debbie asked with a sultry grin

"No." He turned, but the door slammed shut.

Debbie took one of his arms and pulled him towards a bed. She took out two pairs of fuzzy, blue handcuffs and handcuffed his arm to the bed. She grabbed his other arm and forced it back. She took the other pair and finished the job.

Simon struggled against the force of the metal. Next to him, he could feel Debbie shifting on the bed. A few seconds later, he gave up with a defeated sigh. Debbie had her right arm under her head, propping her up.

"I hate to make this difficult, but it's so much fun." Her index finger traced lines up and down his chest.

"Where's Simon?" Theodore asked, a hint of panic making his voice squeak.

"Oh, Debbie said he's spending the night." Dave said, ruffling his youngest son's fur.

"And you're not worried?" Alvin asked skeptically.

"No. Should I be?" He asked, his eyebrows knitted together.

"Absolutely not." Alvin said with a cheerful smile. Dave nodded and went into his room.

"Oh, sweet ignorant bliss!" Alvin sighed, cracking his knuckles.

"No offense Alvin, but you're sounding more like Simon every day." Brittany said with a superior grin. Alvin let out a muffled cry and Jeanette frowned.

"Why is that a bad thing?" She asked, wringing her hands. Alvin and Brittany shared a knowing look before parting ways and entering their bedrooms. Jeanette followed Brittany, her eyes never leaving the ground.

Eleanor gently placed a hand on Jeanette's shoulder. Jeanette turned instantly to be greeted by a warm smile.

"If it helps any, I think Simon's a great guy." She said reassuringly.

"Thanks, Ellie." Jeanette hugged her younger sister affectionately.

"Alvin? Do you really think Simon's okay?" Theodore asked meekly.

"Not a chance. For all we know, Debbie could be killing him as we speak." Alvin said, pacing nervously. When Theodore began to whimper, he immediately regretted his words.

"I was just kidding. I'm sure he's fine." Alvin fibbed with a fake smile. Theodore ate it up and shut his eyes, drifting off into a peaceful slumber. For Alvin, it wasn't that simple.

Brittany listened to her sisters' even breathing. It gave her a sense of peace. She looked out the window, the Eiffel Tower shining just as brightly as it had when she'd first seen it.

But something was missing. No…someone. Paris was supposedly the city of romance, but she'd yet to experience it. But, eew! Why would she want to?

In the wee hours of the morning, Simon silently crept into the room. Theodore was snuggled up in his bed, but Alvin was passed out in the recliner.

Simon shut the door slowly, but the click of the lock still echoed throughout the large room. Alvin jerked awake, his gaze falling accusingly upon Simon.

"Where the hell were you?!" He whispered fiercely.

"Um, with Debbie." Simon whispered back.

"Doing what?" Alvin answered with a question.

"Talking. Look, I'm exhausted." Simon groaned slipping into his bed and yawning.

Alvin was about to argue, but he was pretty tired himself. He just shut his eyes and exhaled slowly.

Later that morning, the Chipmunks awoke to discover that the girls were gone. They had apparently gone shopping and would be back in a few hours in time for the party.

"Simon! You aren't dead!" Theodore exclaimed, rushing forward to hug his older brother.

"Of course not!" Simon said with a chuckle, throwing dirty looks at Alvin. Who else?

"Uh, Theodore? Why don't you go grab some breakfast with Dave? We'll be down in a little while." Alvin jumped in nervously.

Theodore nodded and scurried out the door happily. Simon turned to his brother and narrowed his eyes.

"You told him I was dead?" He asked, his voice strained.

"Hey! I really thought you were!" Alvin said in mock sincerity. Simon sighed and fell back onto his bed.

"Any way, do you still have that dream deciphering thing-a-ma-bopper?" Alvin asked, staring at his hands.

"Tell me your dream, Alvin." Simon sighed.

"Well, it was that night I got really drunk. There was this strange girl there in a long white dress…and-and she had on this wedding ring…and she said 'I do.'…and I got really scared." Alvin rambled on about the strange dream and Simon smiled wryly.

"I don't need any book to decipher that dream. You obviously have commitment issues. But this girl's identity could alter the meaning slightly. For all we know, it could've actually been a premonition." Simon said broodingly.

"Are you sure you don't know who she was?" Simon asked suspiciously.

"Nope." He said, though he knew that wasn't true. Those eyes could belong to no one else.

Jeanette paled in comparison to her older sister. Brittany wore a pink silk halter dress with a lovely cream flower embroidered trim and a key-hole neckline. She looked down at her own strapless long lavender formal gown with the beaded bodice. She smiled, knowing that it was more her taste any way. Eleanor looked amazing in a flowing green dress that slimmed her waistline with a ribbon belt.

Brittany felt anxious as the little bell of the elevator rang. She smoothed out her dress and corrected her posture. Eleanor thought it was adorable how Brittany cared what Alvin thought.

The boys came down in plain black suits. Simon frowned, knowing that Debbie would disapprove of Alvin's red cap. It completely ruined the effect of the suit.

They stopped to scrutinize each other. Simon took Jeanette's hand and looked her up and down. He smiled and she blushed. Eleanor hugged Theodore, who complimented her over and over again. Alvin just stood there, wide-eyed and tongue-tied. Brittany, satisfied by his reaction, placed her hands on her hips and winked.

"What's the matter Alvin? Cat got your tongue?" She asked drawing nearer and linking arms with him.

"Funny, Brittany. I don't see any whiskers on you." Simon drawled causing a few giggles. Alvin and Brittany just glared at him.

They walked out to the side walk where Amelie was waiting patiently. They all stopped and stared at her. She wore a simple, yet elegant peach chiffon dress with thin spaghetti straps.

"What are you staring at?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowed. She'd looked so sweet, until she opened that mouth.

"Oh, nothing. We've just never seen you in a dress." Alvin explained.

"And you've known me for…what? Less than a week? That's not saying much. Let's get this show on the road." She said gravely. She picked up the hem of her dress and slid into the back seat of the limousine. The others followed for lack of anything better to do.

"Did I tell you, you look absolutely radiant?" Theodore asked lovingly.

"About a dozen times now." Eleanor said with laughter in her voice.

Amelie gazed out the window wordlessly. She traced the lines on her palm, trying to ignore the gushing going on to her right. It was sickening, the way those two love-sick pups carried on. She curled her lip up in disgust and tried to change the topic.

"What did you guys get Debbie?" She asked lightly.

"Um…gift, gift…nothing?" Alvin answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"We got some flowers." Eleanor said hopefully, holding up a bouquet of lilies.

"Sold my soul…" Simon muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Amelie asked, trying to keep the alarm out of her voice.

"Oh, nothing." Simon replied much too quickly. Amelie frowned and reached beside her to pick up a tastefully wrapped box with a bright blue ribbon.

"I was taught never to enter a party empty-handed." She said with an innocent smile. They all laughed in relief, all but Simon. Amelie noticed this and worried.

They made it to the roof and stood there in awe at the sight. There were large blue balloon arcs and silver stars everywhere. It looked sort of like a prom. But then there was the full moon and dazzling stars that lit up the night's sky.

"Oh, Simon! I'm so glad you came!" Debbie squealed enthusiastically wrapping her arms around the poor Chipmunk. Jeanette took a step back and looked down at her hands. A few curls had come loose from her elegant twist and were now hiding the tears she tried so hard to fight.

"Um…glad to be here. We all are." He said slowly trying to pry her hands off his waist.

"Here. I'm sorry about yelling at you last time." Amelie handed Debbie the box and the flowers. Debbie gave a satisfied smile and leaned forward to give Amelie a hug. Amelie winked at Brittany behind Debbie's back and showed Brittany that her fingers were crossed. She muffled a giggle.

"Come, come. We have some amazing food, amazing music, and of course there's me." She said, tugging at Simon's hand.

Jeanette dabbed at her eyes and sniffled quietly. Eleanor cautiously placed her hand on her sister's arm and smiled reassuringly. They walked forward slowly. Brittany tossed her hair over her shoulder, and it accidentally brushed against Alvin's nose. Alvin growled and made a move forward, but Theodore held onto his sleeve, casting him a warning look. Alvin sighed and kept going at a normal pace.

"What's up with Jeanette?" Brittany whispered to Eleanor as they took their seats. Eleanor just glared at her oblivious older sister.

"So you're sixteen, now?" Simon asked politely.

"Yup. This is my sweet sixteen, and I couldn't be happier at the turnout." She said, gesturing at the large crowd of people. They all wore fancy clothing that probably cost more than this entire party.

"Happy Birthday." They all murmured. She nodded appreciatively.

As the night went on, several famous singers gave Debbie their warmest birthday wishes and sung the songs that made them famous. After a while, Debbie gave Simon a nudge. He groaned inwardly, but slid his chair back and stood, his glass of water in hand. He tapped it lightly with his spoon and a man in a grey suit handed him a microphone.

"Excuse me; I'd like to make a toast. To Debbie." He said, smiling down at her.

"To Debbie." Everyone repeated, raising their glasses.

"And I'd like to dedicate this song to…Debbie." He said, his voice pained. He walked up the steps to the stage and spoke quietly to the band. A soft, sweet melody filled the room.

When I'm feeling blue  
All I have to do  
Is take a look at you  
Then I'm not so blue

Simon crooned and walked down the stairs slowly, the spotlight following him. Debbie giggled with delight as he approached the table. Jeanette blinked several times and tried to avoid looking at Simon, but eventually her eyes strayed and met his.

Debbie fluffed her hair and prepared to stand…until Simon went right instead of left. He reached down and gently took Jeanette's hand.

When you're close to me  
I can feel your heart beat  
I can hear you breathing  
In my ear  
Wouldn't you agree?  
Baby, you and me got a groovy kind of love

He pulled her close and her emerald green eyes sparkled up at him adoringly. He began a slow waltz, leading like a proper gentleman. She followed willingly, the skirt of her dress flowing gracefully around her ankles.

Any time you want to  
You can turn me on to  
Anything you want to  
Any time at all  
When I kiss your lips  
Ooh, I start to shiver  
Can't control the quivering inside  
Wouldn't you agree?  
Baby, you and me got a groovy kind of love

Debbie turned bright red, fuming at the unwanted turn of events. She should be the one dancing with Simon, not that ugly duckling.

Ooh

When I'm feeling blue  
All I have to do  
Is take a look at you  
Then I'm not so blue  
When I'm in your arms  
Nothing seems to matter  
My whole world can shatter  
I don't care  
Wouldn't you agree?  
Baby, you and me got a groovy kind of love

We got a groovy kind of love  
We got a groovy kind of love  
Ooh, ooh  
We got a groovy kind of love

The audience cooed with delight at the "cute couple." When Simon finished singing, he tossed the microphone over his shoulder and the DJ caught it, just barely. Simon gazed at Jeanette and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. The crowd applauded and Debbie plastered on a sweet smile.

"Bravo! Thank you, Simon." She said between clenched teeth.

"No thanks are necessary." Simon said modestly. Jeanette put a hand against his cheek, glowing with pride.


	7. Chapter 7

7

An elderly gentleman approached the microphone and spoke into it with the energy of a man half of his age. The band started up with a lively tune.

Brittany sat at the bar, a blonde boy roughly her age smiling flirtatiously down at her. She batted her eyes and flirted back, twirling a loose tendril of auburn hair.

Alvin, once again, was bothered by this. Why should he care? He'd hit on hundreds of girls! But wait…does that mean that she'd hit on hundreds of guys? The thought made his blood boil with rage.

"Pineapple sorbet, sir?" A waiter asked blandly.

Alvin stood abruptly, and closed the distance between Brittany and him. He reached down, grabbed her hand, and yanked her up aggressively. Her mouth was slightly ajar and the wind had been knocked out of her. She took a deep breath as he led her to the dance floor. He pulled her close, one hand holding hers, the other on her waist. Her hand was being squeezed intensely; the other was pressed against his chest, burning a hole in it.

"So you do have a heart." She snarled, feeling his pulse. It was fast, staccato, and quickening by the second.

"You wound me." He growled in a low voice, spinning her out at arm's length. He pulled her back in and she gasped.

"One, two, three, four, five, six…my, my, my." She said, pretending to look at an imaginary wrist watch.

"What is this, a physical?" He asked with a grin.

"Only as physical as you wanna make it. My turn." She hissed, taking his hand and pressing it against her chest.

"I'd hoped so." He said, kissing her fiercely. She wrapped one leg around his waist and arched her back, pressing against him with a moan.

All eyes were on them as they backed their way towards the buffet table. Alvin let go of her long enough to sweep the food off the white cloth. He grasped her wrists and forced her back onto the table where he tackled her. She pulled his tie, nearly choking him, until his lips met hers.

Theodore and Eleanor ran up to the table. Simon, Jeanette, and Amelie rushed to their friends' sides and gawked at the sight..

"What's the word? For the love of god, somebody say the word!" Theodore pleaded, his eyes wide.

"Cherry!" Simon nearly shouted.

Alvin and Brittany froze. Brittany gasped and pushed him off of the table with more force than necessary. Alvin landed with a thud and rubbed his backside.

Brittany clutched at her chest, gasping for air.

Their siblings ran up to them, Amelie at their heels. Theodore helped Alvin up. Eleanor grimaced and Jeanette slid the soft, silky material over Brittany's thighs to cover her up.

Brittany looked around and groaned. She wished the table would swallow her whole.

Debbie stalked up to them. Simon began to apologize. "I am so sorry." He took her hand and looked into her eyes. Debbie glanced up at the ceiling and bit her lip.

"Oh, that's alright." She said, blushing.

"Waiters? Would you be so kind as to clean this up?" She asked with a charming smile. A few waiters nodded and bent down to pick up the broken dishes.

"Carry on." Debbie said with a flick of her wrist.

The music started up again, but it took a while for the crowd to ease up. Brittany slowly hopped off the table and shuddered. She looked over at Alvin with disdain. His own gaze held no hint of regret, only confusion.

Brittany, still shaking like a leaf, held onto her sisters' shoulders and went to sit down. She sighed and waited for the room to stop spinning.

Amelie allowed herself to be lost in the crowd. She scurried away quickly until she made it to the side of the balcony. She looked up into the sky and exhaled slowly. A pearl and diamonds strewn across a blanket of black velvet.

When I'm in your arms  
Nothing seems to matter  
My whole world can shatter  
I don't care

She sang softly, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering slightly. She blinked slowly, her big brown eyes filled with a sort of longing for something she'd never known. Would never know.

Wouldn't you agree?  
Baby, you and me got a groovy kind of love

She turned suddenly to see Alvin smiling behind her. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I disagree." She said coolly.

"You have a lovely voice." He offered, walking towards the railing to stand beside her. She frowned slightly.

"Do you believe in it? Love, that is." She asked demurely.

"Well, I'm not saying I believe in it, but I'm not saying it doesn't exist." He said, somewhat uncomfortably. Amelie snorted.

"What?" He asked defensively.

"Well, I'm sorry, but not all of us can see the world through rose-colored glasses." She said, allowing the gentle breeze to whisk away the remnants of her anger.

"I'm not all that optimistic, Amelie." He said rolling his eyes.

"No, I meant it in a different way. The term 'seeing through rose-colored glasses' also refers to people who are…in love." The term felt foreign on her tongue.

"Love? Me? Impossible!" Alvin snorted.

"I see." As much as she hated it, she actually believed he was in love. But if she didn't believe in love…

"So tell me about you and Brittany." Amelie said, turning towards Alvin. His face fell slightly.

"What about us?" He asked, playing innocent.

"Everything. How you met, up until now." She said with a grin.

"It's a long story." Alvin sighed. He slouched slightly, overwhelmed with memories from a life-time with Brittany. When ever he tried to remember life before she showed up, his mind drew a blank.

"I'm not going anywhere." Amelie shrugged and leaned against the rail.

"Well," Alvin took a deep breath and began the story of his life. It was surprisingly easy to allow the words to flow.

"When it started out, she was really grateful, and I had something new and shiny to look at. I guess as the years went by, the novelty of having her around wore off. Like a Christmas puppy." He explained. Amelie was outraged that he was comparing the girl he was obviously madly in love with to a dog.

"After a bit, I got really annoyed with her. Then came the fights, the name-calling, the pranks…and the stuff she did was pretty bad too. She got really bitter, really fast. I don't really understand it, but that's girls for you. No offense." He added the last line hastily. Amelie frowned.

"Let me ask you this, Alvin. How many times can a heart be broken before it is beyond the point of repair?" She asked, really hoping he thought it over. She walked back towards the crowd, the clicking of her heels still ringing in his ears.

Eleanor stirred her tea with a small plastic straw and exchanged worried glances with Jeanette. Brittany was still not talking. What could she say? She had no recollection of what had occurred. The only thing she remembered was Alvin on top of her, on top of a buffet table. Needless to say, she was furious with him.

"Don't be mad at him Britt." Eleanor said. She could only imagine what plans her older sister was cooking up.

"He had no idea what he was doing either." Jeanette added, nodding vigorously.

"But what was he doing?" Brittany asked, banging her fist down onto the table.

"You honestly have no idea? Not even in the slightest?" Eleanor asked hopefully.

"Well, both times I blacked out and when I woke up, he was on top of me, obviously trying to smother me to death." Brittany said with a hint of sorrow.

"Hold on. You think he was trying to kill you?" Jeanette asked, trying not to laugh.

"I wish that was all he was trying to do." Eleanor muttered.

At the end of the party, Debbie tried to stop them before they headed home. "Oh, Simon?" She asked.

Simon could tell she was still fuming about the song. He turned back around and motioned for his friends to keep going.

"Simon!" He could hear her screech even after the elevator doors shut. He grinned. It felt good to walk out on Debbie, even though he knew there would be hell to pay next time he saw her.

Eleanor leaned against Theodore, who held onto her tightly. She shut her eyes and sighed in content.

"That was…fun." Amelie said, trying to make light of the situation.

Brittany stood in the corner, her eyes never leaving the floor. She felt extremely uncomfortable at the moment. Would she ever be able to look Alvin in the eye again?

"I thought so." Jeanette said quietly. She was still very grateful for Simon's actions. Simon smiled at her and took her hand. A feeling of completion washed over her.

"What exactly are Dave and Miss Miller doing? Why did they have to miss this? Not that I'm complaining…" Alvin muttered. He was extremely grateful that his father hadn't seen him attack Brittany. He was still confused as to why he would want to kill her…

"Oh, Madame Boucher took them to her country house." Amelie answered cautiously.

"Oh, you mean your mom." Theodore stated rather than asked.

"Ah, yes. My mom." Amelie said, drumming her fingers against the wall of the elevator. She looked up at the little red light in the corner of the ceiling and an idea struck her.


	8. Chapter 8

8

"Monsieur Seville. I must apologize for the other night. My Amelie should have known better. Letting poor Alvin get as drunk as a skunk!" Madame Boucher said, clucking her tongue.

"Oh, it's not her fault. I should have known better. Alvin's always getting in trouble like this." Dave said, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Ah, well a few more days without him will do us all some good then." Madame Boucher reasoned happily. Dave was about to object, but something told him she was right.

"Remind me. Why are we at the super market?" Alvin asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Because Theodore got hungry while we were at the park and you know the prices there are outrageous." Amelie said, ready to strangle him herself. Brittany was still a bit uncomfortable around Alvin and stood on the other side of Jeanette.

"Ooh! Pineapple!" Theodore shouted running towards the display. Brittany shoved her sister aside and jumped into Alvin's arms. He leaned back onto the table that held the pineapples, the pain of the sharp skin of the fruit not even bothering him. In five seconds flat, most of the fruit had either been squashed or knocked to the ground. Everyone in the store gaped at them in wonder.

"Cherry!" Eleanor grunted, taking Brittany off of Alvin. Brittany inhaled quickly, trying to catch her breath. Alvin winced and got off the table slowly.

"Oh. My. God. What did I just do?" Brittany demanded. Eleanor and Jeanette chuckled nervously.

"_You_ tried to kill _me_, this time!" Alvin panted.

"No I didn't!" Brittany cried out. "I must have rolled over on you when you were trying to kill me!"

"Well?" They asked in unison and turned to Amelie. She just stared back blankly.

"We need to get back to the hotel." She said urgently. She turned to walk out, but a large, burly man stopped and cleared his throat.

"After we pay for the fruit, of course." She tittered weakly.

After grudgingly forking over nearly twenty-five Euros for the damaged goods, they rushed back to the hotel.

"You want to see what happens when we say…'the word?'" Amelie asked mysteriously. Alvin and Brittany nodded.

Amelie motioned for all of them to follow her. She led them into a room marked 'Security.'

Jeanette threw her a questioning glance as Amelie opened the door.

Amelie looked around until she saw a short pudgy man in a blue uniform. He had a name tag on that read Laurent.

"Laurent, _vous me devez_." She hissed into his ear, taking out a small switchblade and running it against the soft fat of his neck. He nodded hastily and wheeled his chair over to a different screen. Amelie took a seat in front of one that had the number 7 painted above it.

"Jeanette and Eleanor will take Alvin and Brittany into the elevator, and we will monitor their progress here." Amelie said airily, slickly sticking the blade back into her sleeve.

"I'm not so sure that this is a good idea. Lack of oxygen kills brain cells. Alvin can't afford to lose any more." Simon said in mock concern.

Alvin threw Simon a dirty look and everyone broke out in a fit of laughter. Once regaining their composure, they got back to business.

"Alright, Jeanette. Say the word when things have gone too far or they've killed each other. Which ever comes first." Simon told her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She nodded dutifully.

Eleanor and Jeanette made their way to the door, but stopped at the brisk sound of Amelie's voice.

"Don't forget this." She said, handing Eleanor a sign that read 'Out of Order' in French and English. She smiled.

"You've thought of everything!" Eleanor laughed.

"I like to be well-prepared." She said blandly. She ushered the four chipmunks out the door and told them to go into elevator seven.

Eleanor and Jeanette practically had to drag Alvin and Brittany down the hall. They had wanted so badly to see what happened. But now that they had the chance, butterflies fluttered in their stomachs.

They all crept into the elevator and Ellie carefully attached the sign to the door. She turned to her sisters and exhaled sharply.

"Ready, Britt?" She asked, regretting it. Brittany nodded and looked over at Alvin. His gaze told her he felt the same way.

"Pineapple." Jeanette said before anyone had the chance to say anything else. She shut her eyes tightly, grabbed onto Eleanor's sleeve and backed into one corner.

"God, I want you." Alvin groaned, quickly appraising Brittany with a wolfish grin. He rammed her against the wall of the elevator and she let out a small gasp, her breath getting caught in her throat.

He pressed her wrist against the cool metal with one hand; the other was digging into her waist. He leaned in and his lips grazed along the soft fur of her shoulder.

"Don't stop." She moaned as his mouth skimmed over the hollow in her neck.

"Wouldn't dream of it." He said, his voice thick with desire. He could feel her moving against him, willing him on. Her tongue traced the roof of his mouth and he responded, devouring her hungrily.

After a few minutes, the only thing separating them was a thin layer of clothing, and even that could be done away with. Alvin's hand snaked its way up her shirt, sweeping the length of her ribcage. She shivered though her skin was on fire.

"I've always loved you." Alvin murmured gently, meaning every word.

"I always will." Brittany responded with a sigh as Alvin's other hand made its way to the small of her back.

"Tell me when it's over!" Jeanette whimpered, peeking through her fingers slightly.

"It'd better not start." Eleanor growled, watching in disgust as her oldest sister wrapped herself around Alvin.

"Cherry!" She finally shouted, no longer able to stand the sight.

Brittany pulled away, slapping Alvin brusquely. This time, she said nothing. She just tried to get her breathing to slow.

"Come on you two." Eleanor said, taking her sister's hand and leading her out into the lobby like she was a five year old. Alvin followed, staring straight forward.

They were greeted with shocked gazes and open mouths as they entered the security room. Amelie shut her mouth and rewound the tape. Alvin and Brittany took seats on either side of her. Amelie pressed play and they leaned forward.

They gasped, their jaws dropping to the ground. They stared unblinking at the scene straight out of a romance novel. Alvin could've sworn that the lens of the camera fogged up for a second there. Alvin had had enough when he heard himself tell Brittany he loved her.

"Turn it off!" Alvin pleaded turning to pace uncomfortably.

"Did we…" Brittany asked, nibbling on her lower lip. Jeanette and Eleanor shook their heads "no." She breathed a sigh of relief and Alvin let out his breath, not knowing that he had been holding it. He decided that from now on, oxygen was a good thing.

"Can we go back to the hotel and get something to eat?" Theodore asked.

"Only you, Theodore." Simon said with a grim smile. Alvin looked as though he'd seen a ghost. Worse, he'd seen himself make out with Brittany!

"Let's go. _Au revoir_, Laurent." Amelie said with a sweet smile. Laurent turned and nodded, his eyes filled with a fear the Chipmunks couldn't understand.

The whole afternoon went by very slowly. The majority of it was quiet and peaceful. Isn't that what Simon wanted? Now that he had it, he almost wished he hadn't shown the tape to Alvin, no matter how priceless his reaction was. Brittany was equally quiet and aloof, if not more so.

Brittany flipped through the channels in their hotel room and rolled her eyes in disgust at every scene before her.

"Oh, Edward! Say you will!" A blonde actress said, gushing at a man on a black motorcycle. He threw off his helmet and took her into his arms, caressing her gently.

She changed the channel to one that was in French. There was a forlorn woman with dark hair pulled back into a bun on the screen.

"_Mais non_, Jacob!" She gasped. A man came forward and got to his knees.

"_S'il vous plaît_, Sylvie!" He begged pathetically. He took her hand in his and kissed it.

"_Je t'aime toujours_!" He murmured as she placed one hand on her forehead. Brittany snorted and turned the television off all together. Of all the French words she knew, why did they have to be those three? She threw the remote against the wall in aggravation.

"Brittany! Don't damage the room." Eleanor scolded. Brittany just sniffed and looked away.

Alvin was in a similar state. Everything he thought of just frustrated him. Mostly because all he could think of was her. It just wasn't fair! Sure, he knew that a part of him cared about her, but in his wildest dreams, he'd never imagined himself holding her like that. It was sickening!

Brittany had always thought that Alvin was, well…the one, but this came as a complete shock. Feelings of joy and despair intertwined. She was glad to know how he felt, but she was hurt, knowing that it took alcohol and hypnotism to get him to tell her he loved her. This is not how she wanted to find out at all.

Brittany crossed her legs and looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. _Do you love him?_ Her brain inquired. After much deliberation, she decided: Yes. She loved him very much. But did he _really_ feel the same?

Alvin sighed and rolled over onto his side once the lights were out. Who was he kidding himself? Better yet, who did she think she was? So there were only a few people who had ever been able to make him doubt himself and she just happened to be one of them. That didn't give her the right to make him feel this way. Like Amelie said, love was just sugar-coated lust. Why was he all over her? Simple; he was a teenage boy. But he'd said he loved her…did he mean it? Of course. But did _she_?


	9. Chapter 9

9

Theodore awoke and stretched leisurely, soaking up the rays of sunshine that peeked through the window. He looked to either side of him and saw his older brothers sleeping peacefully. Well, Alvin was twitching a bit, but at least he wasn't talking in his sleep again.

Theodore was usually a very tolerant Chipmunk, but there was only so much he could take. If he heard "I can't love her" one more time, he was going to crack.

Simon, hearing his younger brother's motions opened his eyes slowly. He breathed deeply and sat up. He leaned over, picked his glasses up off of the dresser, and placed them on the bridge of his nose.

"Morning, Theodore." He yawned. Theodore smiled and began to get dressed.

"Where are you off to?" Simon asked inquisitively.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving." He responded, shrugging on his sweater.

He walked down the hall and bumped into Eleanor. She smiled in delight at the sight of him.

"Good morning, Theodore!" She said hugging him tightly. He smiled and greeted her in a similar manner.

"Breakfast?" He asked. She nodded and jumped when the elevator made a sharp "ding."

"How's Brittany holding up? Better than Alvin, I hope." Theodore said, feeling terrible for his melancholy brother.

"Well, she stopped throwing things at the wall." Eleanor offered.

"So that was what those crashing noises were last night." Theodore felt slightly annoyed. Eleanor smiled apologetically. All his worries melted away like chocolate on a hot summer day. The thought made him even hungrier.

Brittany was awake, though she didn't dare to move a muscle. She felt numb all over. A sharp jagged pain cut through her chest. She winced. The pain came and went, each time just as intense as the last. _Damn it, Alvin!_

Alvin rolled over onto his belly and groaned. Simon watched the pathetic display scornfully.

"Alvin, get up. I know you're awake and I know you can hear me." Simon pleaded once again.

"Simon? It's not fair. I just know she's gonna use this against me. I can hear it now, 'Alvin dear, would you kindly pick up my dry cleaning? What do you mean no? You said you loved me!'" Alvin grunted. His impression of Brittany could use a little work.

"If Brittany is still the same hopeless romantic I know, she'll be yours forever. That is…unless she's afraid to put her heart on the line. Like _someone_ I know." Simon said pointedly. Alvin glowered.

Jeanette snored softly. The familiar sound helped sooth Brittany's mind. For the millionth time, she regretted her choice.

Brittany refused to believe that this was what love felt like. She couldn't go on this way. Where was the tough, Alvin-abusing girl she'd once known? She was still there, hiding somewhere beneath the hurt.

"Alvin, for once in your life, take her feelings into consideration. Be kind to her; she's just as confused as you are." Simon said, getting to his feet and forcing his brother off the bed.

"I'll try." Alvin said with a defeated sigh. Simon smiled and tossed Alvin his sweater.

Jeanette's eyes flickered open and she shot up straight.

"Brittany! Don't scare me like that!" Jeanette gasped, letting her breath out with relief. She honestly didn't expect to wake up and find Brittany literally five inches from her nose.

"Sorry. You wanna go get some breakfast? Ellie's already gone." Brittany said, getting off her knees and walking towards the door. Her pastel pink sundress looked out of place on her.

"Brittany, are you okay?" Jeanette asked, placing on hand on her shoulder.

"Just gonna fight fire with fire." Brittany replied cheerfully.

Uh oh. That didn't sound good.

"Hello, Brittany. How are you?" Alvin asked pleasantly, a phony smile plastered onto his face.

"What's it to you?" She asked, buttering a piece of toast with her very sharp knife.

"Go on!" Simon mouthed to a disbelieving Alvin. He took a deep breath.

"I just want to know how you're feeling." Alvin said, mentally kicking himself.

"That's new." Brittany snorted.

"Come on, Brittany. Stop jerking him around." Eleanor said, elbowing Brittany in the ribs.

"I'm perfectly fine, Alvin. Thank you for your concern." Brittany said harshly. She took a bite of toast.

"Your welcome, Brittany" Alvin said, looking to Simon for approval. Simon just slammed the heel of his hand against his forehead.

"Anyone else concerned about Dave and Miss Miller?" Simon asked suspiciously.

"Not really. Amelie said that they're with her mom, remember?" Theodore said happily.

"We've barely seen them at all and it's been over a week." Simon pointed out.

"That is odd… should we file a missing persons report?" Alvin asked.

"Of course not. They'll be back by tomorrow night, mark my words." Theodore said, naïvely confident.

Amelie walked over to them, her gait stiff. Simon could see that she was carrying several dry cleaning bags.

"Guys, I really need your help." Amelie said, close to tears.

"What's wrong? Is it that guy with the dagger again? Your ex? I've got to tell you, you have terrible taste in men." Brittany said, stabbing her roll fiercely, holding the knife so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Alvin gulped.

"No, it's not that." Amelie said, grimly aware of who put that idea into Brittany's head.

"My friend Sal is holding a celebration of his restaurant's thirtieth anniversary. The band cancelled at last minute and…" Amelie drifted off once they caught on.

"What happened to 'it's purely for enjoyment'?" Alvin asked, annoyed.

"Well, we'll do it if you don't feel up to it." Brittany said, looking at Alvin over her shoulder with a sly smirk.

"Hey, I'm all for it!" Alvin backtracked, holding his hands up in a defensive position.

"Thank you!" Amelie said, thrusting a bag in each of their hands. They looked down at them with confused expressions.

"What are these?" Jeanette asked curiously.

"Your costumes. Oh, and you'll need to come with me to my dance class to learn a few of the dances."

"What dances?" Theodore asked nervously.

"Well, the salsa, the cha-cha, tango, and possibly the Vietnamese waltz ." Amelie said, counting the dances off on her fingers.

"Oh, how charming!" Jeanette said, flashing Simon a smile. He rubbed the back of his neck in an embarrassed manner.

"When exactly is this class?" Alvin asked Amelie though his eyes were on Brittany.

"In about…ten minutes." Amelie said, hopping up and down lightly on the balls of her feet.

"Let me guess, we have to leave right now." Alvin said dryly.

"What was your first clue, Alvin?" Simon asked, helping his brother to his feet.

They all rushed out the door, not pausing to catch their breath.

"Taxi!" Amelie hailed, putting two fingers between her lips and whistling. A yellow cab screeched to a halt and let them in.

"You ever been to New York?" Brittany asked.

"No. Why?"

"No reason."

They arrived at a large brick building and ran in, their feet barely touching the ground.

"_Je suis désole_, Adrien." Amelie panted.

A tall man with long black hair pulled back into a pony-tail tapped his foot impatiently.

"_Très bien_. Your entertainment?" He asked, scrutinizing the Chipmunks and Chipettes. Alvin glared back, not one to be looked down at.

"Alright! Let's take it from the top. Pair up." Adrien said, snapping at them as though they were dogs.

Theodore took Eleanor's hand and Simon took Jeanette's. Alvin and Brittany grumbled before taking a small step towards one another. Adrien rolled his eyes.

"No time." He said sharply. He took Alvin's arm forcefully and placed it on Brittany's waist. He put Brittany's hand on Alvin's shoulder. The other two pairs did the same before Adrien could reach them.

"Now, step left, step right, pivot, pivot, and dip her." He barked out the orders. Alvin raised his eyebrows.

"Pivot?"

"It's not that hard. Like this." Brittany said, changing positions so that she was leading him. She dipped him and his eyes flew open.

"Don't drop me!" He squeaked. Brittany just smirked. She let him go and he fell with a dull thud.

"That is not how it is done!" Adrien said firmly. He helped Alvin up and put them back into their original positions.

"Sure you can handle this?" Brittany asked fiendishly.

"Of course." He said, dipping her. Much to her surprise, he didn't drop her.

"What gives?" She asked, not trusting him. And why should she?

"Like I'm going to drop you…besides, Simon'd wring my neck and I'm sure you would help him." He said crossly.

"You bet I would." She said as he pulled her up.

"Ouch!" Eleanor winced as Theodore stepped on her toes. He apologized over and over again even though she had already forgiven him.

"It's alright, Theo." She said, her voice filled with understanding.

Simon dipped Jeanette gently, though the wind was still knocked out of her.

"You're good." She murmured. He just chuckled and shook his head.

Luc stood in the corner, his arms behind his back. He saw her sitting in a chair off to another corner. Her dark hair framed her perfectly round face. She was everywhere he wanted to be. Like a shadow; an ill-fitting occupation for one so bright. He stood and crossed the room, slightly hurt by the surprised look on her face.

"Care to dance?" He asked politely.

"I can't dance…" She trailed off. He brought her to her feet and spun her. She let out a small giggle, despite herself. She _never _giggled.

"And now, we shall salsa." Adrien said, swiveling his hips slightly. Brittany almost choked. They all resumed their positions and waited as lively music began to play.

"No, no! You're too far apart." Adrien said, losing patience. He walked over to Alvin and Brittany and their eyes just about bugged out of their heads. He pushed them into one another, wrapping Alvin's arm all the way around Brittany's waist. The others didn't have to be told twice. They assumed similar positions and blushed furiously.

"Now, when she steps back on her left, I want you to step forward on your left. Good. Now spin her out, and bring her back in. Tighter!" Adrien growled. Brittany held Alvin closer, grinding her teeth.

"Now you kick straight out, and you hold onto her thigh. Hold onto him more tightly, or you _will_ fall!" He scolded. Brittany clung to him for dear life. She could feel the quick, sultry beat resound within her, or was that her heart? Beads of sweat collected on Alvin's forehead. If she held him any tighter, he'd go mad.


	10. Chapter 10

10

"Do I _have_ to wear the garter?" Brittany asked, eyeing the thin piece of red and white lace with distaste. She wore a v-neck scarlet dress with golden trim and a split that went to her thigh.

"If I have to wear _this_, I'm sure you can pull of a garter." Amelie said, gesturing to her short, sparkling turquoise halter dress with a tiny skirt made entirely of sequins.

Eleanor's forest green dress was long and flowing with a low-cut back and long beaded sleeves that half-covered her hands. Jeanette's lavender dress consisted of a sparkling spandex shirt with one sleeve and a matching skirt that flared when she spun.

"Well, they could've at least had the outfit in pink." Brittany grudgingly slid on the garter and clasped on the silver choker with red rhinestones. She tied up a portion of her hair with a red ribbon and tucked a red hibiscus behind her ear.

Alvin buttoned up his sleeves and turned towards his brothers with a disgusted look on his face. Theodore giggled and Simon kept clearing his throat.

"All I can say is Brittany had better look seriously ridiculous." Alvin said, crinkling his nose and waking out the door.

"Alvin had better look just as ridiculous." Brittany threatened as they walked out of the room. She stopped dead in her tracks, a mirror image of Alvin. Ridiculous? No such luck. He wore a loose red silk shirt and black slacks. His cap had been replaced by a black hat with red trimming.

She looked stunning. There was no way in hell he was going to be able to salsa with her and live to see tomorrow.

Luc came out and smiled at Amelie. She looked beautiful in turquoise. Her face glowed with determination as they made their way down to the lobby.

"Amelie, a penny for your thoughts?" Luc asked.

"You'd be overpaying, Luc." She said with a sigh. He frowned and concentrated on his shoes.

"_Merci beaucoup_! I can never repay you!" Sal said, hugging Alvin tightly.

"We're not getting paid?!" He asked incredulously.

"Of course not. We're doing this as a favor for our friends." Simon said between clenched teeth. Brittany slouched, just as disappointed.

"It's an honor to meet the Squirrels." Sal said with a wide grin.

"I said, Chipmunks, Sal. Not Squirrels." Amelie pointed out.

"Funny, I could've sworn…" Sal said, his eyebrows furrowed.

He took Brittany's hand and shook it with vigor. He led her across the ballroom, darting between different people in colorful dresses and well-tailored suits. Her sisters and the Chipmunks followed, just a tad paranoid.

"I'd like you to meet my nephew, Amaury." He said, shoving her at a short boy with sandy brown hair. Shocked, Amaury placed his hands on her back to keep her from falling. His hands strayed to her waist. She let out a low growl and batted his hands away.

"Touch me there again and it'll be the last thing you touch." She snarled.

"Worth it. _So _worth it." He said with an eager grin. Sal just smiled and wandered off to the buffet table.

"Why me? Why not _you_?" Brittany asked Amelie as Amaury tried to get Brittany to dance.

"Because when _I_ met him, I broke his arm." Amelie said breezily.

"Now, you don't even know my name. You don't want to dance with _me_." Brittany tried to convince him, but to no avail.

"Aw, come on. Just one little dance?" Amaury spun her until she was too dizzy for words.

"I-I've got to…I'm gonna go sing now." Brittany said, her words slightly slurred. She held onto her head and tried not to fall over and break her neck with those stiletto heels.

Her sisters showed her the way to the spot where a small band was playing. They helped her make her way towards the microphone stands. There were tall, golden candlestick holders on either side of the microphones. Long velvet drapes were strewn elegantly along the walls of the ballroom.

"Ready?" Ellie asked. They nodded and took a few steps forward. The boys took their places in the sidelines and watched as the band started up.

_When marimba rhythms start to play,  
__Dance with me, make me sway  
__Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore,  
__Hold me close, sway me more_

Brittany ran her fingers through her loose tendrils of hair, her eyelids heavy. Jeanette and Eleanor harmonized perfectly with her and they moved from side to side.

_Like a flower bending in the breeze,  
__Bend with me, sway with ease,  
__When we dance you have a way with me,  
__Stay with me, sway with me_

The boys obediently took their places at the girls' sides and placed their hands on the Chipettes' waists. Alvin swallowed hard and they started to sway.

_Other dancers may be on the floor,  
__Dear, but my eyes will see only you,  
__Only you have that magic technique,  
__When we sway I go weak_

Brittany's eyes never left Alvin's. There was so much going unspoken, and yet so much was being said.

_I can hear the sound of violins,  
__Long before it begins,  
__Make me thrill as only you know how,  
__Sway me smooth, sway me now,  
__  
Other dancers may be on the floor,  
__Dear, but my eyes will see only you,  
__Only you have that magic technique,  
__When we sway I go weak_

_I can hear the sound of violins,  
__Long before it begins,  
__Make me thrill as only you know how,  
__Sway me smooth, sway me now  
__You know how,  
__Sway me smooth, sway me now_

The crowd applauded, pleased with the new twist on a classic. The Chipettes handed the boys their microphones and walked out into the crowd.

_You can dance-every dance with the guy  
Who gives you the eye, let him hold you tight  
You can smile-every smile for the man  
Who held your hand neath the pale moon light_

Alvin laughed softly about the irony of the next song; it was the exact opposite of what he wanted. But then again…

Brittany's face lit up. A boy with reddish brown hair took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Alvin tensed and his eyes never left them. Simon took note of this and gave a signal to Jeanette. She nodded but was swept away by a boy with a dark complexion. Her eyes fluttered open and she gave a small gasp as he spun her. Simon's eyes narrowed.

_But don't forget who's takin' you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darlin' save the last dance for me_

Alvin walked over to where Brittany and the stranger were dancing. He cut in and the boy frowned, but Brittany was furious.

_Oh I know that the music's fine  
Like sparklin' wine, go and have your fun  
Laugh and sing, but while we're apart  
Don't give your heart to anyone_

"You don't own it." She snarled fiercely, the microphone not too far from her lips.

"Not yet." Alvin replied snidely. The crowd began to giggle.

_But don't forget who's takin' you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darlin' save the last dance for me_

He slowly released her and she returned to her previous dance partner. Simon patted Alvin's shoulder but Alvin returned the favor with a glare.

_Baby don't you know I love you so  
Can't you feel it when we touch  
I will never never let you go  
I love you oh so much_

_You can dance, go and carry on  
Till the night is gone  
And it's time to go  
If he asks if you're all alone  
Can he walk you home, you must tell him no  
'Cause don't forget who's taking you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
Save the last dance for me_

Brittany thanked the boy for the dance and caught up with her sisters. Eleanor gave Brittany the give-him-a-break look. She just sighed.

_'Cause don't forget who's taking you home  
And in whose arms you're gonna be  
So darling, save the last dance for me  
Save the last dance for me  
Save the last dance for me_

"Come on, Alvin." Simon said, gesturing to where the Chipettes stood by Amelie. Alvin felt a wave of panic wash over him.

"One more song." He insisted. Simon nodded, walking over to Jeanette.

Alvin spoke quietly with the band and arranged an agreement.

_Someday, when I'm awfully low,  
When the world is cold  
I will feel a glow just thinking of you  
And the way you look tonight_

Several women crowded around him, as though they were entranced by the song. Brittany took a step back, one hand clinging to her arm self-consciously.

_You're lovely, with your smile so warm  
And your cheek so soft  
There is nothing for me, but to love you  
And the way you look tonight  
With each word your tenderness grows,  
Tearing my fears apart  
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose  
It touches my foolish heart  
_  
_Lovely, never ever change  
Keep that breathless charm  
Won't you please arrange it?  
Cause I love you,  
Just the way you look tonight_

Alvin enjoyed the attention he was getting, but something didn't feel right. He took one look at Brittany and his conscience began to chew him out.

_You owe her your life, and you refuse to even dance with her! Some friend you are!_

_It's because I'm her friend that I refuse to dance with her. I don't want to hurt her._

_You don't want to get hurt. Just face it, you're afraid of rejection._

_Am not!_

_Are to. Look, you have nothing to worry about. She's_ crazy _about you, remember?_

_With each word your tenderness grows,  
Tearing my fears apart  
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose  
It touches my foolish heart_

Brittany caught his gaze and smiled despite herself. She loved this song. He winked at her and the smile vanished.

_Lovely, don't you ever change  
Keep that breathless charm  
Won't you please arrange it?  
Cause I love you,  
Just the way you look tonight  
Mmm, tonight_


	11. Chapter 11

11

"You owe someone a dance." Simon said, grabbing Alvin's wrist.

"Simon…you know I can't do it! You remember yesterday? It felt like my heart was gonna explode!" He wheezed, clinging to the wall.

"Oh, grow up!" Simon said, exasperated. Brittany came over to see what was going on.

"Never!" Alvin said, trying to break away.

"You can't hide forever, Alvin." Brittany said, shifting her weight to one side.

"I can sure as hell try!" Alvin exclaimed.

"Alvin, don't make me beg." Brittany sighed. Alvin loosened his grip on the wall.

"I didn't know that was an option…" He said, beginning to grin. Brittany rolled her eyes and extended her hand. He took it hesitantly and she led him onto the dance floor.

"Do you remember the steps?" She teased.

"Unfortunately." Alvin said, swallowing the lump in his throat.

She took a step forward and wrapped her leg around his waist, smirking at the almost fearful look on his face. He held onto her thigh and took a deep breath. Her fur felt soft and warm beneath his hand. He stroked it gently and a strangled noise escaped Brittany's lips. He felt a new sense of power and she could see it in his eyes.

"Alvin…" She warned.

He dipped her slightly, running his hand down the length of her leg. She inhaled sharply and bit her lip to stop herself from saying something she'd regret. She felt absolutely ridiculous for having the urge to do so in the first place. She took his hat and threw it to the floor. He untied the ribbon in her hair and it cascaded down her shoulders, a sea of gentle curls.

Simon's face fell.

"So this wasn't my best idea…" Jeanette just smiled and rubbed his shoulder. He clasped his hand over hers and they went to the buffet table to get some punch.

"Do you really think we should be worried about Miss Miller and Dave?" Jeanette said, eyeing the red liquid in her cup cautiously.

"Who knows? Maybe they will be back tonight." Simon mused.

"Brittany, I'm serious. I won't drop you." Alvin went on, stepping forward on his right.

"Promise?" She asked, taking a step back.

Alvin squeezed his eyes shut as a memory flashed before them. He was lying on the bed in his hotel room; Brittany was beside him, wiping his forehead with a wet towel.

"Promise me you'll never do this to me again." She pleaded, on the verge of tears.

He could only nod and groan. She bent over him and her lips tenderly brushed across his cheek.

He opened his eyes to see Brittany's worried face.

"Alvin? You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah…I'm fine." He fibbed. He felt terrible. All the guilt that he'd tried to ignore overwhelmed him, leaving him weak.

"I think I wanna go sit down." He said, letting go of her waist. She took his hand and led him towards a chair off to one corner.

"What's wrong with Alvin?" Jeanette asked, watching as Brittany took a seat beside Alvin and constantly asked if he was alright.

"Looks like his conscience finally decided to take over." Simon said, seeing the guilt in his brother's eyes.

"I'm fine, Britt. Please, just…can you leave me alone?" He asked as gently as possible. It wasn't enough. He could tell he'd hurt her. Again.

"Sure." She said, walking away.

That's what she got for trying to be kind to him. It just didn't work. She needed to be stronger…like Amelie. She walked over to her and smiled.

"Hello, Brittany. Enjoy your dance? You wore poor Alvin out." Amelie said with a wink. Brittany couldn't help but laugh.

"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. You see, I…" Brittany trailed off.

"You're in love with him. Go on." Amelie finished her sentence for her.

"I don't love him!" Brittany insisted.

"We have proof. Remember the tape?" She reminded Brittany.

"It must be some sort of illusion. That magician didn't know what he was doing."

"I see."

"Well, it's just that I'm having a hard time trying to hate Alvin. It used to be so easy." Brittany longed for the days when she could touch him and not feel a tingly sensation run up and down her spine.

"You don't need to hate him. You just need better control of your emotions. Whenever you feel like crying, just try to think about something else."

"What if I feel like tearing him to shreds?"

"Even better." Amelie enthused. Brittany laughed again.

"And when you miss him, distract yourself." Amelie advised.

"Miss him?" Brittany was confused.

"Maybe not now, but perhaps one day you will." Amelie shrugged.

"You shouldn't be taking advice from me. I don't know anything about love." Amelie scoffed.

"Actually, it sounds like pretty sound advice to me. Thanks." Brittany said, waving to Amelie.

"Alvin, you can't honestly tell me that you didn't know this was coming." Simon informed his older brother. Alvin was currently staring into space.

"In one ear and out the other." Simon muttered.

Alvin headed towards the microphones and the band stiffly. Amelie lowered her eyes and slid towards one of the curtains, her brown knapsack in hand. She pulled out a small object and placed it behind the thick velvet curtains.

Alvin smiled at the large man with the trombone. He took a step back, knocking over a large candlestick.

Amelie pushed a few buttons and set the timer for five minutes. She gasped as the curtains caught fire. She looked at Alvin and the candle stick holder and shrugged. She hit the small red button and the object stopped beeping. She put it back into her bag and ran over to the large mass of confused and frightened people.

The fire was traveling from banner to banner until the entire building was in flames.

"Alvin!" Simon shouted at the top of his lungs. Alvin tried to avoid Simon's accusing gaze.

"Everyone out!" Sal tried his best to usher everyone out of the building.

"Someone call 911." One woman cried out anxiously.

Amelie grinned as Luc got all of the Chipmunks and Chipettes to safety. Piece of cake.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note

Sorry about the Loliver thing. I uploaded this for you guys to be fair. Enjoy!

12

As Amelie followed Luc and the Chipmunks down the hall, Luc stopped abruptly. He heard several muffled cries coming from a nearby closet. Amelie froze.

Luc opened the closet and three bundles of fur rolled out onto the floor. Their mouths were covered with masking tape and their arms were tied behind their backs.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?" Eleanor and Theodore rushed to them and worked together to untie one of them. Brittany, Simon, and Jeanette followed their siblings' example.

"I'm _much_ better now." The one Brittany untied winked at her. Brittany helped him to his feet and she gaped at what she saw. He looked like a Chipmunk…but he had a tail. A long bushy tail. She looked away, her cheeks hot with embarrassment.

"It's okay to stare. We get it all the time." He consoled her. She took a step back as the stranger undressed her with his eyes.

"Who do you think you are?" Alvin was outraged.

"We're the Squirrels. Here to rock your little party."

"And who might you be?" The one Simon and Jeanette had untied countered.

"We're the Chipmunks…"

"And we're the Chipettes." Eleanor finished Theodore's sentence for him.

"And you, Love?" The Squirrel in the tux with a red bowtie asked.

"Brittany." She could see the pure, unadulterated fury in Alvin's eyes.

"The name's Avery. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." He took her hand and kissed it. She let out a small giggle. For Alvin's sake.

"Um, guys? The building's on fire. Can we get out now and talk later?" Luc tried to rationalize.

"Fire?" The Squirrels all squeaked in unison. The Chipmunks nodded. They all rushed out into the open.

In the distance they could hear the wailing of a siren. After a few minutes, a large red fire truck showed up and went to work.

"What do you mean 'rock our party'?" Alvin asked suspiciously.

"Well, we were gonna rock your party. It looks like your party just burst into flames, though. Good thing I got you out, Britt." Avery pointed out with a triumphant grin. Brittany almost gagged. She looked over to Alvin, wary of the I-told-you-so look she was sure to find.

Alvin's eyes were filled with relief rather than smugness. He was glad to see that this vermin had left as bad a taste in Brittany's mouth as it did in his. Brittany cocked her eyebrow in a challenging sort of way. She began to flirt shamelessly with Avery.

A police officer pulled the Squirrels aside for questioning. The perfect time for Alvin to confront Brittany.

"What do you think you are doing?" He demanded.

"What? Just making conversation." Brittany responded.

"Yeah, great conversation. 'Such potential. The things you could do with that tail.'"

"I don't sound like that. Besides, I've got to make do with what life throws at me. I don't know too many attractive male chipmunks." She shrugged off his harsh words.

"What do I look like? Chopped liver?" Alvin's voice was strained.

"You _wish_ you were that appetizing." She was loving this.

"Thanks for keeping her warm for me." Avery walked back over to Brittany and wrapped his tail around her waist. Her eyes widened and a smile tugged at Alvin's lips.

"No problem."

"You kids need a lift?" A police officer asked. They shook their heads.

"Nope, this one's comin' home with me." Avery wriggled his eyebrows up and down at Brittany.

"No thanks." Brittany unwrapped herself and took off the stilettos. She sprinted towards Luc and Amelie, refusing to look back at the Squirrels.

Luc herded everyone into his car and headed towards the hotel to drop them off.

"Isn't the legal driving age sixteen?" Alvin asked, his curiosity, yet again, getting the better of him.

"Yes, but you can get an emergency license at fifteen if absolutely necessary." Luc explained.

"Don't even think about it." Simon warned.

"Madame Boucher, we appreciate your interest in our children…I think." Dave said sharing a concerned look with Miss Miller.

"Yes, it's so kind of you to offer, but we could never part with them." Miss Miller insisted.

"I see." Madame Boucher pursed her lips.

"I don't know how you talked me into this, Brittany." Alvin grunted.

"Frankly, neither do I."

"Boys!" Dave's delighted smile vanished at the sight of his soot-covered sons.

"Dave!" They all cried out. Alvin had been carrying Brittany, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He let go…but she didn't. They both fell to the ground with an "oomph."

"Girls! What happened?" Miss Miller gasped.

Jeanette and Eleanor rushed over to their "mother" and gave her a hug. Brittany got up and did the same.

"Jeanette? What are you wearing? I expect this from Brittany, but not you." She looked her daughters up and down and frowned. Jeanette hung her head in shame.

"I can't believe you're obsessing over our clothes when Alvin's the one who set the ballroom on fire." Brittany pointed out.

"Alvin did what?" Dave cried out.

"Gee, thanks, Britt." Alvin muttered under his breath.

"I'd rat you out in a heartbeat." She murmured in his ear.

"Speaking of rats…" He started to hiss, but Dave interrupted him.

"I want a long, detailed explanation."

"If you ever…change your mind, give me a call." Madame Boucher smiled and walked away.

She was barely heard as Dave continued to question the Chipmunks and Chipettes.

"Amelie, _qui s'est passé_?" Madame Boucher asked.

"Nothing. They set the ballroom on fire." Amelie said with an indifferent shrug.

"So you didn't even have to…"

"_Non_. They did everything." Amelie felt a bit useless.

"_C'est très facile_." Madame Boucher patted Amelie on the head and slipped through the glass door.


	13. Chapter 13

13

Amelie hummed a soft tune as the rushing water washed away the remnants of the previous night. The smell of lilac and vanilla was overpowering. She twisted the knob and stepped out of the shower. She wrapped her fluffy violet towel around herself and walked into the other room.

"_Bonjour_, Rosé. _Petit déjeuner_?" Luc smiled up at her from her bed. She cast him a sidelong glance and walked into her closet. She took out a pair of jeans, a teal cotton shirt, and of course undergarments before walking back over to her bed.

"_Non, je n'ai pas faim_." Amelie said loftily. She dropped her towel and Luc barely reacted. This wasn't the first time he'd seen her naked. She was comfortable around him. That had to mean something, right? Yeah, it meant she thought of him as a _brother_.

She walked over to a small wooden box, took out her nine millimeter and strapped it to her right calf. She slipped on her clothes and walked out of the room wordlessly. Luc followed her for lack of anything better to do.

Amelie stopped and sucked in her breath quickly as though she had just remembered something vitally important. She shut her eyes and plastered on a friendly smile.

"Luc?"

"_Oui_?"

"_Venez ici._" She beckoned to him with the crook of her finger.

"What do you mean you're grounded?" Amelie asked incredulously.

"I mean we're not allowed out of the hotel." Alvin said wryly.

"Bummer." Luc said, looking at the floor.

"Well, what say we leave just for a little while? No one will know you're gone." Amelie said with a sneaky grin.

"I second that notion!" Alvin immediately agreed.

"But what if we get caught?" Theodore asked almost fearfully.

"We won't." Amelie responded frostily.

"What do you say?" She asked with a charming smile.

"I'm in."

"Me too."

"Then it's settled." Amelie nodded at Luc.

"Don't we get dinner first?" Theodore asked.

"Patience, my pet. All will come in time." Amelie said in a soothing voice.

They stealthily made their way downstairs and hopped into Luc's car. Brittany winced as Alvin's elbow jabbed her in the side. He gave her an apologetic smile and tried to scoot over a bit. It didn't work; they were packed together like sardines in a can.

Luc stuck his key in the ignition and started up the engine. The bright lights of Paris began to fade as they entered the outskirts of the city. The clouds moved at a steady pace, hiding and revealing the moon every couple of minutes.

Jeanette's eyes sparkled with wonder. The farther they got into the country, the more stars emerged, lighting up the sky in a way only stars could. Simon's hand brushed against her arm and she shivered.

"Are you cold?" He asked quietly. She nodded and he wrapped his arms around her. She smiled knowingly. Any excuse for him to hold her was a good one.

"Here we are." Luc said, turning onto a dirt path and shutting off the car. They all jumped out and stretched their legs.

"We're in the middle of nowhere." Brittany pointed out.

"Yes we are. Why?" Amelie asked between clenched teeth. This was _not _part of the plan.

"What better place for a little picnic?" Luc asked cheerfully. He showed them a large basket. He took out a red and white checkered blanket and laid it out on the grass.

"Oh, how quaint!" Eleanor cooed. Theodore agreed instantaneously, making a beeline for the food. The other four followed, just as hungry. It was later than expected.

Amelie's brain worked at warp-speed, trying to amend for this flaw in the plan. She took a small gadget out of her pocket and pushed several buttons. She scrolled down on the screen and an idea struck her. She let out her breath in relief. It would work after all.

She walked towards them hesitantly. Luc was already in the middle of telling them something. They seemed transfixed. Theodore had even stopped eating. Luc caught her eye and smiled, gesturing for her to join them. She flashed him a half-smile.

"And that constellation is known as the Monoceros Constellation. What does it look like to you?" He asked them.

"Like a group of stars." Alvin said blandly. Brittany nudged him and he sat up straight. Amelie looked up towards where Luc was pointing. Frankly, that's all she saw, too.

"It's a unicorn." Jeanette said with a delighted smile. Simon gazed at her lovingly. He loved the way she could make something beautiful out of the simplest things. But then again, they weren't so simple.

She could always point out the pattern of a particular leaf, or see something fanciful in a gathering of clouds. Speaking of which, several rather dark clouds were just on the horizon. They moved quickly and soon covered the stars.

"It looks like it's going to rain in a few hours." Luc said, lowering his arm. A raindrop hit his nose.

"Or a few seconds." He said with a shrug. Amelie grimaced as the cold little drops of water hit her.

"We should head back." She advised.

"Why? What's wrong with the rain?" Alvin asked. He titled his head back and caught a few droplets in his mouth.

"That's disgusting! You don't know what could be in that water." Amelie wrinkled her nose and looked taken aback.

"Lighten up and live a little." Brittany stood up and spun with a giggle. The look on Alvin's face was unreadable, but he stood up and took Brittany's hand, spinning her once again. He pulled her into a close dip. Her mouth was opened slightly. He leaned in and kissed her. Her eyes flickered open wide before shutting slowly. He pulled away and grinned.

"Better than Bali?"

"Much. And you weren't too bad yourself." Brittany said with a wink. Alvin let her go and placed his hands on his hips.

"What do you mean, 'weren't _too_ bad?'" Brittany just ran with an amused laugh. Alvin went after her.

"Oh, when I get my hands on you!" He yelled at her.

"What're you gonna do? Kiss me again?" She teased lightly. He finally grabbed her and pinned both of her arms to her sides.

"Damn straight." He said before pressing his lips to hers.

"And they say rain brings out the worst in people." Jeanette sighed.

"I wouldn't abandon that thought just yet." Simon warned, watching as his brother and Brittany fell onto the wet grass. Alvin tickled her and she squealed hysterically. He placed one arm around her waist and gazed down at her, wiping her wet hair out of her face and kissing her softly.

"Did somebody say pineapple?" Theodore asked innocently. Instantly, the kiss deepened and Alvin's hands roamed her body. She shut her eyes tightly and pulled him closer.

"No, Theodore. Cherry!" Simon said through gritted teeth. Alvin and Brittany broke apart sheepishly. Alvin moved his arm and Brittany nibbled on her lower lip, chuckling nervously.

"What are you afraid of, _Chou_? Afraid you'll melt?" Luc asked, tickling Amelie slightly.

"That's a cheap shot, Luc," she said menacingly. "You're going down." She tackled him and attacked his stomach with a grin. He began to laugh, his body shaking uncontrollably. She found herself laughing as well. That was until a loud boom was heard. Amelie shuddered at the thunder.

"We really ought to go find shelter; thunder storms can be dangerous." Amelie said. Simon could've sworn that he heard a quiver in her voice. Amelie tried to avoid his gaze as they packed up and headed for the car.


	14. Chapter 14

14

_A man stood on the outskirts of town with an umbrella in one hand. He turned to face two large men and a middle-aged woman. She was clutching the arm of a small girl with a long curtain of thick dark hair. She couldn't have been more than five years old. Tears streamed down the girl's face and her body shook with the intensity of her sobs._

_"Papa!_ Je suis désole!" _She cried out, struggling against the woman's iron grasp._

_"Leave her out of this! I'm the one you want." The man smoothed out his wet hair and took a step forward. He jumped back when the woman took out a knife._

_"Jean-Paul, don't toy with me. I'll slit her throat, I swear. Now, where's the damned money?" She hissed and pressed the blade against the soft skin of the girl's throat. _

_"I don't have it. It was not my responsibility…" He was cut off in mid-sentence._

_"It was entirely your responsibility." She growled. She precisely cut the girl's neck, enough to draw blood, but not enough to kill her. The girl let out a heart-wrenching cry._

_"Papa!" She screamed, her tears mingling with the rain falling down her cheeks._

_"Amelie!" A bolt of lightning cut through the sky and struck the umbrella that Jean-Paul had been holding. He screamed as the lightning hit him; the electricity coursing through his system._

_"Take the girl." The woman muttered to one of the men. The man to her left picked up the girl, trying to pin down her flailing limbs and ignoring her cries for her father._

_The woman took out a cloth to clean up the knife and placed them both in her jacket pocket. She walked slowly towards the seriously injured man and took out a gun._

"Au revoir, _Jean-Paul." She said bitterly before pulling the trigger. She gave his lifeless corpse one last kick before turning on her heel and walking towards her henchmen._

_"What do we do with the girl?" The man who wasn't holding the girl asked._

_"Throw her in the van." She said directly. The man nodded and opened the back of the van. He carelessly threw the girl into the back and followed after with the other henchman. The woman hopped into the passenger's seat and told the driver to head back towards the town._

Amelie sat down slowly and turned to Luc. Her piercing gaze told him exactly what she wanted. And _this_ time, there would be no interruptions.

Luc nodded and attempted to wrap his arm around her shoulder comfortingly. She just shrugged him off and stared straight ahead.

"So, how long have you two known each other?" Jeanette asked, disturbing the silence.

"Ten years." Luc said with a fond smile. Everyone but Amelie gasped.

"That's a long time." Alvin couldn't imagine knowing someone that wasn't family for that long.

"Not long enough." Luc murmured almost inaudibly.

_The girl's whimpers grew softer as the van came to a halt. The rain had lightened considerably and the doors opened. The man that had snatched her the first time took hold of her again and threw her out. The van started up again and zoomed out of sight._

_"Why didn't we just kill her, too?" One henchman asked._

_"One day, she will pay off her father's debt." The woman said ominously._

_The girl winced as she hit the pavement. Her shirt was stained with the blood that had run down her neck. The bleeding had stopped, but the cut was painfully obvious against her pale skin. She remained lying onto the concrete, letting the rain beat down upon her until she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder._

_She groaned and tried to sit up, but fell back down again. She felt completely drained. She felt two warm hands pull her into a sitting position. Her eyelids were heavy and refused to budge. She was about to fall over again but the hands wouldn't let her. They rested her against an equally warm body._

"Qui es tu?" _A soothing voice asked. She looked up, her vision blurry, and saw what appeared to be a boy her age. His clothing was worn, but not tattered and his concerned face was clean._

_"Amelie Rosé Devon." She replied, her voice no more than a whisper. He, however, seemed to hear her and smiled despite it all._

"Je m'appelle _Luc Van Dors." He introduced himself. She could only nod. Though she was about half his size, he managed to pick her up. She had no clue where he was taking her, but at the moment, she didn't care._

_He stopped at what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse and set her on a small bed. She moaned and rolled over onto her side. _

_The boy wiped a wet cloth across her wound and she let out a sharp cry. She bolted upright and stared at him, finally seeing him clearly. His eyes softened at the sight of those big chocolate orbs._

"Je suis désole, mais…" _He drifted off and she nodded, understanding perfectly. He dipped the cloth in more rubbing alcohol and dabbed at the wound again. He offered his hand and she accepted it gratefully, squeezing it with each sting._

_Later on in the night, the boy sat cross-legged at the edge of the bed, his chin in his palm. He studied the girl, carefully assessing her with wisdom beyond his years. How could anyone cause pain to a creature so beautiful? He leaned forward and wiped her hair out of the way to reveal her lovely round face. He sighed and silently vowed to never hurt her._

Luc stopped at an old, abandoned building and everyone unbuckled.

"Where are we?" Eleanor asked as yet another bolt of lightning tore through the sky.

"Not sure, but we'll stay here until the storm subsides." Amelie said before Luc could.

They all darted towards the door. Luc opened it and ushered everyone in. He followed closely.

Amelie took several flashlights out of her brown knapsack, which she had brought with her. She handed one to everyone and they all turned them on.

Dave and Miss Miller rushed downstairs, panting. They spotted a familiar face and walked towards the woman it belonged to.

"Madame Boucher, what have you done with our children?" Dave asked, outraged.

"Nothing. In fact, I saw Amelie take them somewhere a few hours ago. Not quite sure where, though." She said loftily.

"So your daughter kid-napped our children?" Miss Miller's voice raised an octave.

"Now, I'm sure they'll be fine. Now if you don't mind, I have a _very_ important business meeting to attend to." Madame Boucher walked out of the hotel with a grin on her face.

Jeanette shone her light on what appeared to be a large metal hook. She turned slightly and not to far down was a conveyer belt. Along the wall was a shelf that held several, sharp knives. Butcher's knives.

"I think this was once a…slaughter house." Jeanette covered her mouth in horror.

Amelie, who was standing by the shelf of knives picked up a large one and smirked.

"Aren't you the clever one, Jeanie? I should let you know that I shall miss your _keen_ observations."

"Amelie? What do you mean?" Jeanette's eyes were filled with confusion and fear.

"She's going to kill us." Simon said flatly. Amelie nodded and took an envelope out of her knapsack. She slid it across the floor and its contents spilled out.

"Very good, Simon. You always were the brightest Chipmunk of your age group. Hell, you were smarter than most of the humans your age. They warned me about you."

Simon picked up a piece of paper that had a photo of himself stapled to it. DANGEROUS was stamped across it in red. The paper contained his birth date, address, phone number, and various other facts, _personal_ facts, about his life. Each of the others found information about themselves attached to photos. Eleanor picked up photos of Dave and Miss Miller. Brittany picked up the photograph taken in Bali. There were two words written on the back of it in elegant handwriting:

**Weakness: Love**

She felt tears sting her eyes. Who could be so cruel? To exploit the one pure thing in this world and use it against them was just…inhuman.

_The girl was merely six years old when a woman stopped her in the streets. She spoke to the girl in French, telling her that she was a friend of her father. The girl, of course, was excited. Anything that held a connection to him brought her one step closer to seeing him again._

_She told the girl that her father died before fulfilling his duties. She told her that if she had really loved her father, she would help him by fulfilling his duties for him. The girl immediately agreed and the woman began her training. _

_He girl trained by day and went back to Luc by night. He didn't, he couldn't know about her secret life._

_It started out with small things, stealing money and other valuables. The woman told her that they were for charity. The girl was a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Or so she thought… _

_Growing tired of the façade, the woman finally old the girl that her efforts didn't go to charity. She had gotten the girl to steal the goods, then she kept them and became even richer; she was filthy rich to begin with. The woman didn't, however, tell the girl the truth about her father…_


	15. Chapter 15

15

"I know you better than you know yourselves. It was only a matter of time." Amelie said nonchalantly.

"Rosé? But why?" Luc felt confused. Everything he had known about Amelie had all slipped away in a matter of seconds.

"It's nothing personal, just business. Orders from Madame Boucher to be exact. Your loving parents wouldn't cooperate, so we're going to plan B." Amelie informed them, twirling the knife in her hand.

"Plan B is to murder us? What good does that do?" Alvin asked, trying to buy time.

"Well, I'm not going to _just _murder you. Don't be silly. I'm going to painfully skin you alive. _Then _I'm going to kill you. See, Madame Boucher gets her furs, and I get the satisfaction of a job well-done." She said, her voice sounding almost chipper.

"Amelie, for someone as smart as you are, you're really clueless." Luc scoffed.

"Excuse me?" Her eyes narrowed and she pointed the knife at his chest.

"I mean that this 'Madame Boucher' is using you. Don't you see?" Luc was backed into one corner. He felt the shelf and grabbed a slightly smaller knife. His clashed with hers and she backed up. The Chipmunks and Chipettes were too fascinated with the scene before them to try and stop Amelie and Luc.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Amelie insisted. Sparks flew off the quick-moving metal.

"I know exactly what's going on. She gets the furs; you get the blame for their deaths." He explained. She bent backwards as he towered over her. She let out a low growl and flew at him, but he dodged and their knives clashed yet again.

"I'm paying my father's debt, not that you would care." She snarled, nearly grazing his shoulder with the sharp blade.

"Of course I care. _Je t'aime, _Amelie_. Je vais t'aimer toujours_." He said gently. Her eyes widened before narrowing again. She lunged at him with a newfound determination.

"And I know what you're doing is out of love, but your father wouldn't want you to sell your soul." Luc was having trouble fending her off. She knocked him to the ground and put her foot on his abdomen, her knife directed at his chest.

"I don't _love_. I _survive_." She whispered fiercely, trembling with rage and fear.

"But you do. I know you…" He was cut off when the pressure on his stomach increased.

"You don't know me. You never have and you never will." She backed away and he stood, turning to face her.

"I do. You're smart and beautiful and talented. You could do anything if you put your mind to it. And with a decent education…"

"Hah! Madame Boucher taught me more than any _school_ ever could. I speak seven languages fluently. I have a black belt in karate and can lift a man twice my size. I can _smell_ fear. I can assemble a rifle in under a minute and hit a target at fifty yards. Through the heart. Do you know how many men I've killed? Fifteen." She said, the tip of her knife pressed against Luc's chest. He swallowed hard. This was not his Amelie.

"That's what I thought. You know _nothing_."

"Then tell me. Tell me why you live in the shadows when the sun would give anything to shine down on you?" She hesitated before answering.

"Wow, anyone have popcorn?" Alvin murmured. Brittany jabbed him in the rib.

"If no one notices you, no one can hurt you." She said softly, lowering her weapon.

Luc walked towards her in an attempt to hug her, but was stopped short by the blade of her knife.

"Don't even." She said through clenched teeth.

"Now, who's first?" She pointed to each Chipmunk and Chipette.

"I know it may pain you, but do try not to meddle." She turned her head slightly in Luc's direction.

Amelie drew nearer with the butcher knife. Jeanette gasped and Simon shielded her with his own body.

"Amelie? Why? Think for yourself! Don't hurt her." He pleaded, trying to reason with her.

"Aw, isn't that sickeningly sweet? Trying to protect your girlfriend. Do us all a favor and don't try to be a hero." She said sourly.

Simon took several steps back, trying not to step on Jeanette.

"It'll be less painful if you hold still." Amelie advised.

"We trusted you!" Alvin said, fear making his skin crawl.

"Your mistake." Amelie said with an icy smirk.

The door opened suddenly and four dark figures walked in. Amelie turned, took her flashlight, and pointed it at them. It was Madame Boucher with two men and a vaguely familiar boy.

"Well done, Amelie." Madame Boucher gave her a Cheshire cat grin. Amelie squinted at the boy.

"Jacque?" He nodded at her.

"_Bonjour, ma chérie_." He winked at her.

"Tie them up." Madame Boucher commanded. The two men and Jacque quickly took the ropes she offered them and got to work. They each grabbed a Chipmunk and Chipette and tied them together despite their protests.

Luc recognized the name that Amelie had uttered. She had told him about her "fiancée." He was a bit jealous at first, but Amelie had explained the situation to him, putting him at ease. Now he had a feeling in his gut telling him that Amelie was in danger. He had to think of something. Quick.

"Jacque! Do you love her?" He shouted across the room. The boy narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"If you loved her, you'd tell her the truth." Luc pointed out. Jacque appeared to think it over.

"Nice try, Luc. He doesn't speak English." Amelie snorted. "Seize him." The two henchmen worked on tying up Luc, but they stopped when the other boy made an outburst.

"Wait! Amelie, this is all a sham." Jacque suddenly called out. She gasped.

"Wh-What do you mean?" Her demeanor had changed from confident to confused.

"Madame Boucher is framing you. She hired me to keep track of you, to make sure that you did everything the way she wanted it. All you'll get for killing them is the death penalty." Jacque admitted ruefully.

"You can't keep that mouth of yours shut for ten minutes, can you, boy?" Madame Boucher growled at him.

Meanwhile, Brittany sobbed quietly. Alvin was getting a headache.

"Will you shut up already?" He hissed into her ear.

"Well, _excuse_ me, but we're about to die!" She whispered harshly.

"Not if I can help it." Alvin muttered. He snuck his hand into his pocket and dug out a pocket knife.

"Where'd you get that?"

"I swiped it from the guy with the addiction to steroids over there while he was tying us up." With one quick swipe, he had cut the rope that bound them.

"Alvin, I'm amazed." Brittany said, looking up at him with wonder as he helped her to her feet.

"Aw, Brittany. You should know by now that I always come through in the end for the ones I love." She grinned and helped him untie the others, trying not to let his words sink in too deeply. They all stood in the shadows, trying to seem inconspicuous.

"She deserves the right to know. To know that you murdered her father!" Jacque said, pointing to Madame Boucher. Amelie's eyes turned steely.

"You… I can't believe I actually…" Her eyes stung with unshed tears.

"Trusted me? Better believe it, kid. There's no point in pretending. You're going to die one way or another: Here, or in prison, the choice is yours." Madame Boucher cocked her gun and pointed it at Amelie.

"I won't let you kill her." Jacque said bravely, standing in her way. She shrugged and pulled the trigger. Jacque hit the ground with a dull thud and Madame Boucher shot at him a few more times to be thorough. A pool of sickly-red blood surrounded him.

"Your turn." She said ominously to Amelie, pulling out another gun and throwing the other one to the side.

Amelie felt the tears finally spill over. She hadn't cried in ten years. She fell to her knees and dropped her knife, lowering her head and causing her hair to fall into her face. Luc could feel her pain.

"Do you have any last words?"

"Yes." Amelie said softly, raising her head to look Madame Boucher in the eye.

"I'll meet you in Hell." She quickly grabbed her knife and threw it at Madame Boucher. Amelie wasn't lying when she said she could hit a target perfectly. The knife twisted in mid-air before positioning itself in the woman's chest. Her eyes became glassy and lifeless as she fell to the ground, her gun falling out of her hand and clattering to the floor beside her.

One of the henchmen, not sure what else to do, pulled the trigger of the gun he was holding. He had aimed directly for the girl who had been the cause of his boss's death. In a split second, Simon threw himself in front of Amelie, the bullet piercing his chest. The two henchmen made a run for the door, but Amelie grabbed the gun that Madame Boucher had dropped. She pulled the trigger twice and each man toppled over.

"Simon, no!" Jeanette let out a heart-wrenching cry and ran towards the Chipmunk. Amelie cleared the tendrils of hair out of his eyes and pulled him into her lap. His breathing was labored.

"Why?" She whispered.

"Because…I…trust you." He said in a strained voice before closing his eyes. Jeanette took his hand and pressed it against her cheek. His eyes fluttered open slightly and he smiled sadly at her.

"Alvin, quick! Is there a phone in the office?" Amelie gestured to the small enclosure in the corner. He ran in and poked his head out.

"Yep!"

"Is it working?" Amelie gave him a "duh" look. He nodded again.

"Dial 911, fast!" He did as instructed.

"Where are we located?"

"Just outside of Paris, 59351 Deuxieme St." Amelie said, making sure that Simon was still breathing.

"They're on their way." Alvin said, kneeling down beside his brother.

"Hang on, Simon." He murmured. Simon only nodded, all sounds being drowned out by the sound of an ambulance drawing nearer and nearer…

**(A/N):** Reviews make me happy. Happy writers update sooner. Get it? ;)


	16. Chapter 16

16

Jeanette couldn't fight the tears that fell down her cheeks when the paramedics carried Simon away in a stretcher.

The police had also arrived. They examined all four bodies carefully and put the weapons in airtight plastic bags. They only found the fingerprints of Madame Boucher and the henchman. Luc noted grimly that Amelie had carefully wiped the handles of the weapons she had used. Like a professional assassin, she had left no trace of her involvement.

"It was a murder/suicide. The woman shot the boy. Then the man stabbed the woman and shot the man before shooting himself." Amelie explained to the police. The story sounded so well rehearsed, it was unsettling. The police didn't ask any other questions. They only led the remaining Chipmunks, Amelie, and Luc to the police cars.

They had placed a blanket around a shaking Theodore and a sobbing Jeanette. They were each offered a cup of water and they accepted the beverages gratefully.

"Would you kids like a lift to the hospital?" The policeman offered. They all nodded. There wasn't enough room for them all in one car, so they split up and promised to meet up once they reached their destination. Theodore, Eleanor, Alvin, and Luc went with one officer, and Jeanette, Brittany, and Amelie went with the other. They _were_ going to have the boys in one car and the girls in the other, but Eleanor didn't want to leave Theodore in his distressed state.

The car ride was virtually silent; the one exception was Eleanor's words of comfort towards poor Theodore.

"But she killed them! Just like that!" Theodore attempted to snap his fingers, but it didn't work so well.

"I know, I know. But everything is going to be alright." Eleanor murmured, wrapping her arms around him and rocking him gently.

"What about Simon? Is he going to die?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine…" Eleanor said, though her voice was filled with uncertainty.

They arrived and walked into a brightly-lit waiting room quietly. Everything was white. White walls, white tiled floors, and white, peeling chairs. Alvin went up to the front desk and used the phone to call Dave and Miss Miller to explain what happened, excluding the whole "Plan B: Skin the Chipmunks" thing. They were on their way.

Amelie timidly sat beside Luc. His face held a vacant expression and she sighed, looking down at her feet.

"Eighteen." She said quietly.

"Pardon?" Luc turned his head slightly to look at her.

"I've killed eighteen." She said, her face filled with something she never thought she'd know. Regret.

Luc opened his mouth to say something reassuring, but nothing came to mind. What she said was true. He shut his mouth and placed an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer, but she pulled away.

"No, Luc. I-I can't."

"You can't what? Let me hug you?"

"No. I can't be close to you. What if I kill _you_?" Her eyes were wide in fear of what she had become.

"Don't be ridiculous." He said with a light smile.

"You're taking this awfully well. What kind of guy tries to hug someone who was minutes away from sticking a knife in their chest?" Amelie smiled at the dark humor.

"The kind that loves the bearer of the knife." Luc stood and walked down the hall, in search of the restrooms.

Amelie groaned and held her head in her hands. What was she going to do now? Luc would forgive her, but could she ever forgive herself?

"Guys?" She said softly.

They all turned to look at her, their eyes hard.

"I would like to apologize for…"

"Attempted murder?" Alvin filled in the blank and she nodded slowly.

"I just want to say that I really regret allowing myself to…try and kill you. I'm sorry for betraying your trust and injuring your brother. I _do_ lo…care about you." No matter how much she wanted to say it, something in her subconscious wouldn't let her.

"How can you expect us to forgive you so quickly? You were trying to kill us!" Brittany said a bit too loudly. Everyone in the waiting room turned to stare at her.

"What are you looking at? You haven't had a knife pointed at you all night!" Brittany said sharply.

"She's kidding. _Such_ an imagination." Alvin smiled weakly and gave Brittany a meaningful look.

"I think what we're all trying to say is that we understand your motives and we understand you're sorry. But you lied to us and tried to kill us. That's not something someone gets over in a few hours. Give us the night to think about it." Eleanor said gently.

"We may_ be_ here all night." Alvin groaned in annoyance, but deep down, he was truly concerned. What were the chances of someone surviving a bullet wound to the chest? He wished Simon were here to give him the dorky statistics.

"Fellas?" Dave walked in, his pace quick and determined. Miss Miller followed after him, biting her nails nervously.

"Dave!" Alvin and Theodore cried out at once. Both of them jumped up to hug their father.

Brittany and Eleanor hugged Miss Miller, but Jeanette remained where she was, staring blankly into space. Miss Miller took a seat beside her and patted her shoulder comfortingly. She turned to look at Amelie, her lips pursed.

"Young lady, you have a _lot_ of explaining to do."

"It's a long story." Amelie sighed. Luc reappeared and took his place at Amelie's side.

"We're not going anywhere." Dave also turned his attention to her. Amelie turned to Luc, who simply nodded.

_Where am I?_ As far as Simon could tell, he was in the middle of a garden. The sound of rushing water could be heard in the distance. There were neat rows of bushes and trees of every variety. He walked along a dirt path and marveled at the many hues of the ripe fruit and fragrant flowers.

He found himself encircled by mango trees. In the center of the small clearing, sitting on a cement bench, was a female Chipmunk with long, golden hair flowing loosely about her shoulders. She wore a long yellowish-white robe. She beckoned to him and he sat beside her. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and smiled.

"Is…Is this Heaven?" He asked softly. He had never really had a strong faith, nor did he put it all in a higher being. But now, his mind was racing with questions about the afterlife.

"No, this is a dream." She replied. There was laughter in her voice.

"Oh, so I'm not dead?"

"Not quite."

"A shot to the heart, and I'm not dead?" He asked skeptically.

"It missed your heart."

"How?"

"Someone was protecting it." She explained nonchalantly.

"Who?" He asked.

"I think you know who; you gave it to her. She's done a beautiful job, too." The Chipmunk looked Simon over approvingly. The scenery around him became a blur.

"What's happening?" He asked fearfully.

"The anesthesia is wearing off. You'll still be asleep, I just won't be there." She explained.

"And, Simon. She's taken care of yours. Take care of hers." Those were her parting words as everything went black.

Several hours had passed and everyone was either watching the small television in the corner, or pacing restlessly. No one went outside because it had started to rain again. Amelie remained seated beside Jeanette.

"Amelie, can I get you anything?" Luc walked into the waiting room, his hands in his pockets. Amelie just shook her head, her eyes never leaving the ground.

"You, Jeanette?"

"No, thank you, Luc." Jeanette saw Luc glance back at Amelie for a few seconds before walking away.

"Amelie? What's wrong with Luc?" Jeanette asked softly.

"What do you mean?" Amelie looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"I mean you treat him like dirt. He's told you he loves you countless times, and yet, you ignore him."

"I don't want to ruin our friendship. We've been friends too long to let something as silly as that get in the way."

"Silly? Love? Look; love, true love, is based on patience and understanding. Being with him that long takes both. No one has patience anymore, which is why true love is so scarce. You need to enjoy it now. Before you know it, it could all be torn away from you in an instant." Jeanette ended her outburst quietly.

"I can't show weakness…" Amelie said, her face filled with pain.

"To love someone isn't showing weakness. If anything, it makes you stronger. Believe me. I _know_." Jeanette took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure.

"You're right." Amelie whispered. Her eyes widened as though she had just come to the realization that she hadn't been seeing things clearly.

"Thank you, Jeanette." Amelie leaned over and hugged a very surprised Chipette before jumping up and racing out of the room. She couldn't find Luc in any of the places she thought he'd be, so she checked the one place she'd never think to look.

She walked out of the hospital and into the rain. She saw a dark figure wandering aimlessly on the sidewalk. She ran up to him and pounced. He stepped back with a start as her lips met his. She pulled away to look at him, her eyes darting back and forth between his.

"I'm sorry it's so sudden." She said, breathing heavily. He grinned.

"What took you so long?" He leaned in and kissed her again.

A sudden bolt of lightning made Amelie jump. They decided to head back in and found everyone gathered in the waiting room. They were all listening intently to what the doctor said.

"The bullet missed his heart by about three centimeters. We got it out and he's recuperating as we speak. He's on a mild pain-killer. We need to change his bandages every couple of hours and put some antibiotic on the wound to keep it from getting infected. He is one lucky Chipmunk. He could've died." The doctor finished, clicking his pen and putting it in his pocket.

"Are we allowed to see him?" Dave asked anxiously.

"I'm afraid not Mr. Seville. But you may visit tomorrow morning, say around ten?"

He agreed gratefully and turned to the Chipmunks and Chipettes. Alvin and Theodore were smiling in relief. They all looked at Luc and Amelie with questioning expressions.

"Why are you two soaking wet?" Alvin asked.

"Don't ask." Luc grinned and Alvin got the picture.

Brittany had her arms crossed over her chest. Eleanor nudged her and she took a step forward.

"I'm sorry for being so harsh earlier." Brittany gave a defeated sigh.

"No, you had every right to be angry. I tried to kill you." Amelie whispered the last part.

"By the way, how are your parents holding up?" Amelie asked, biting her lip.

"Well, they're a little upset, but I think they're just glad that we're safe." Alvin said truthfully.

"You ready to go, _chou_?" Luc asked, putting his arm around her waist. He smiled when she didn't react to his touch. When he'd first tried that, she took his arm, bent it behind his back, and flipped him over. She apologized when he hit the ground with a thud, but it was insincere. Wow, he really had been blind.

Despite their protests, Dave and Miss Miller gathered the Chipmunks and Chipettes and were on their way back to the hotel. Amelie looked back at them one last time before nodding.


	17. Epilogue

Epilogue

The next morning, the Chipmunks and Chipettes arrived at the hospital to find Amelie and Luc already sitting in the waiting room. Jeanette saw Amelie's head resting on Luc's shoulder. Her eyes were shut and her mouth was curved up into a contented smile.

"What're you two doing here so early?" Alvin asked curiously.

"Amelie couldn't sleep. She dragged me down here at six in the morning." Luc said with a wry smile.

"But the hospital doesn't open until eight." Brittany pointed out.

"I know. We sat outside the front door until they took pity on us and let us in." Luc said. He managed to shift in his seat without waking Amelie.

"Man, she's tired." Alvin said softly. He took a seat beside her and couldn't help but smile at her sleeping form.

"Have you seen Simon?" Theodore asked eagerly. Luc shook his head.

"Amelie wanted to wait for you. She said she didn't want to face him without you."

"We'll we're here now, so let's go see him." Brittany said; ready to take off down the long hallway.

"Shouldn't we wake her first?" Alvin asked. Luc nodded and gently touched Amelie's shoulder. She awoke with a start and looked up at the Chipmunks and Chipettes guiltily.

"Good morning, sleepy head." Eleanor leaned in to give her a hug. She accepted it gratefully and stood up. Theodore was the next one to hug her, followed by Jeanette. Even Alvin stood up and embraced her warmly.

Everyone turned to stare at Brittany. She sighed and hugged Amelie as well.

"I just don't like it when I trust someone I shouldn't." Brittany said quietly.

"I know _exactly_ what you mean." Amelie murmured.

Dave and Miss Miller returned from speaking to the woman at the front desk. They went to sit with their children; their eyes were tired and filled with worry.

"The doctor needs to speak to us before we see Simon." Dave said. They frowned, curious as to why they couldn't just go see him. The reasons their minds thought up frightened them.

The same tall man with dark hair that had spoken to them yesterday appeared with a grim smile.

"I'm must inform you that Simon hasn't woken up yet. It's just a reaction to the pain medication." He rested his clipboard against his chest.

"You may still see him, if you wish." He offered.

They all nodded solemnly and followed him to Simon's room.

"I'll leave you alone. Remember, three people in the room at one time and if you need anything, just call for a nurse." He said before walking off to tend to the other patients.

"Come on, guys." Alvin said, opening the door.

"Three people at a time, Alvin." Theodore reminded him.

"Since when have we been known to follow the rules?" Alvin asked with a smirk.

"Alvin." Dave said; though his voice lacked the same anger it usually held. This time, it was more like an exhausted sigh. He just nodded, and allowed everyone to file into the room.

"You go on ahead; the girls and I will wait out here." Miss Miller said, though Jeanette had already walked into the room. She herded the other two back to the waiting room.

Amelie and Luc entered the room and heard a rapid beeping noise. The heart monitor hooked up to Simon read "349 BMP."

"He's passed cardiac arrest! Somebody call the nurse." Amelie said, flailing her arms about frantically.

"Calm down, Amelie. That's normal for a chipmunk." Dave chuckled. Amelie relaxed and took a deep breath.

Dave walked over to Simon's side and gently brushed back his son's hair. Alvin looked down at his younger brother with a relieved smile. Simon's chest rose and fell gently with each breath he took. Theodore peeked at his brother with curiosity. They turned at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Jeanette just stood there, smiling at them patiently. Theodore and Alvin stepped to the side, allowing her to get closer to Simon. She pulled a chair over and just sat there for a few seconds. No one dared to make a sound.

She took his hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. To her surprise, she felt a squeeze back. She watched as his eyes fluttered open and a smile spread across his lips.

"Simon?" She whispered, her eyes welling with tears. He nodded slowly. She leaned over and hugged him, her head resting on his chest. He cringed at the sudden pressure, so she pulled back. He shook his head and she laid her head back on his chest, gently this time. She sighed and listened to the steady beating of his heart. Nothing had ever sounded so beautiful to her.

"Never leave me." She pleaded.

"Never." He managed to whisper.

Amelie stood at the foot of his bed, clutching the railing so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"I'm _so_ sorry Simon. I understand if you never wish to speak to me again." Amelie said with a melancholy frown.

"Don't be silly. It was my own fault. I jumped in front of the bullet to save you. What _was_ I thinking?" Simon teased playfully. Amelie grinned.

"_My hero_." She put her hand over her heart and sighed dramatically.

"Oh, Simie!" They heard a familiar, shrill voice call out. They all turned their heads to see the infamous Debbie, rushing towards Simon. She butted Jeanette to the side and began to babble at him in baby-talk.

Jeanette raised an eyebrow and pushed the button that summoned a nurse. A woman in scrubs came in and looked around expectantly.

"Nurse, please escort this _bitch_ out." Jeanette ordered in a voice so cold, it couldn't have belonged to her.

"No pestering the invalid." The nurse said, wagging her finger condescendingly at Debbie. She took the girl by the arm and practically dragged her out.

"Do you know who I am?" Debbie asked, trying to break free.

"Don't know, don't care. _My_ hospital." The woman said briskly

Everyone stared at Jeanette for a moment. Amelie grinned and walked over to her.

"Two words: You rock!" She said, high-fiving Jeanette, who blushed, returning to normal. Dave just shook his head.

"I owe you one." Simon said, his voice growing stronger. Jeanette sat back down beside him and smirked.

"Yes, you do." She said, leaning in and kissing him lightly on the lips.

When they arrived back at school, the first thing their teachers asked was, "How was your break?" They'd just look at one another and smile knowingly. How could they possibly explain?

It was always awkward whenever the cafeteria served chopped pineapple. Simon would mutter, "Cherry," under his breath and Alvin and Brittany would part, their eyes glazed over with embarrassment. After a while, people got used to it, just as they had gotten used to going to school with _rodents_.

One Wednesday afternoon, the girls went home with the Chipmunks to study for their next exams. Alvin was sprawled across the couch; a soda can in one hand. Brittany sat on the edge of the cushion, one of the few parts he wasn't occupying. Theodore sat on one recliner, Eleanor in his lap and Jeanette sat on the other recliner, Simon on the floor by her feet. He had insisted she take it.

Dave walked in carrying the mail.

"Bill, bill, junk, bill, oh, this is for you guys." He handed Alvin a light blue envelope. Alvin sat up slightly and ripped through the seal. There was a single sheet of paper in the envelope that smelled suspiciously of…vanilla and lavender? Who did they know that smelled like vanilla and lavender?

He checked the envelope. It was from Paris. Better yet, it was from Amelie.

He cleared his throat and read it aloud to everyone:

"_Bonjour, mes amies_! How are you doing? I hope Simon is healing well. Luc and I miss you terribly. Guess what? I enrolled in high school with Luc! It's been challenging, but I find that I sort of enjoy it." Alvin paused to make a gagging noise.

"Not everyone has to hate school, Alvin." Simon chided. Alvin rolled his eyes and continued to read.

"I've also taken on a part time job at a near-by animal shelter. Luc thinks I do it as a sort of repentance. I _know_ I do it for the money."

"That's my girl." Alvin beamed with pride and everyone around him groaned.

"For some reason, Luc assumes that you are all going out now. I told him not to be ridiculous. Theodore and Eleanor maybe, but Simon and Jeanette are too shy and Alvin and Brittany are too pig-headed."

"Hey! I resent that!" Alvin grumbled.

"Alvin, you know I'm kidding. By the way, do you guys still…you know…when you hear the word pineapple? Alvin, if you're reading this aloud, then you two are officially cured. If someone else was reading it aloud…I apologize."

Alvin stopped reading and looked at Brittany. They both grinned.

"Free at last! Free at last!" Brittany cried out triumphantly. Alvin gave her a scornful look before starting again.

"You'll be glad to know that I haven't hurt a fly in weeks. Except for…well Luc sort of snuck up on me in the dark about a week ago and I broke his arm. I know what you're thinking, but it was self-defense. I wouldn't intentionally hurt Luc. In fact, thanks to a few words of advice from Jeanette, I'm finding myself…dare I say it? In love."

Everyone gasped.

"I know, I know. Who would've guessed it? I feel more comfortable saying the word now. I love Luc. I love fresh air. I love life. And I love you guys. I hope that one day; we'll see each other again. You are truly _increyable_, you know that? Love, Amelie and Luc. P.S. Luc and I bet on your seating arrangements while reading this letter. I bet Alvin is next to Brittany, Eleanor and Theodore are cuddling, and Simon let Jeanette have the last available seat. Write me back to tell me if Luc owes me ten euros. P.P.S. I told you I know you better than you know yourselves."

Alvin put down the letter and silence enveloped them.

"So?" Brittany asked.

"So we write to our friend, Amelie, who is ten euros richer." Alvin replied.

**(A/N):** And this concludes Increyable. I would like to thank those of you who have supported me in my struggles to finish this sequel. I hope you found it every bit as entertaining as Indelible. I'm sure you're all excited about my third story, Inseperable. I'll get it up ASAP. Lots of love,

Jasmine


End file.
